"My woman name is Shaqirah" - Shaquille O'Neal denies being the mystery man in IG star's now-deleted pic
Shaquille O'Neal recently addressed rumors suggesting he was the mystery man in a photo shared by a famous Instagram content creator. The photo featured a tall man resembling Shaq’s build, but the NBA legend denied the speculation, assuring fans he would inform them when he starts dating someone.
The rumors surfaced when Instagram user @_1.filly, who has 205,000 followers as of now, posted what seemed like a soft-launch picture with a tall man touching her breasts in a bedroom, sparking speculation that it could be Shaquille O'Neal because of the man's physique.
In response, Shaquille O'Neal shared a reel on Instagram including several photographs where he struck the same pose with different women, clarifying that doing the pose doesn’t indicate a romantic relationship.
“Is this my girlfriend to (sic), trust me I’ll let yall know who my woman is, and by the way my woman name is Shaqirah,” he said.
O'Neal hasn't confirmed any long-term relationships at the moment, though he’s had several "Shaqirahs" in his life since his 2009 divorce.
According to Ranker, O'Neal has been linked to six women since, most recently to actress Annie Ilonzeh, whom he referred to as his "rumored girlfriend" in a January 2023 interview.
He was also in a four-year relationship with Laticia Rolle, and there were even engagement rumors before their breakup in 2018.
Shaquille O'Neal’s ex-wife unsure if she was in love with him
Shaquille O'Neal’s ex-wife, Shaunie Henderson, recently shared her uncertainty about whether she was ever truly in love with him. In her memoir “Undefeated: Changing the Rules and Winning on My Own Terms” published in May 2024, Henderson reflected on their marriage, which began in 2002 and ended in 2011.
"Looking back, I don't know that I was ever really in love with the man," Henderson wrote in her book. "But I was in love with the idea of being married to the man I had a family with.”
“I was in love with the idea of building a life together. I truly did enjoy spending time with him. [NBA] road trips gave me a chance to be with my husband and experience the NBA life for a little while."
O’Neal and Henderson have four children together.
O’Neal responded to his ex-wife’s comments, admitting he was hard to love during his NBA days and wishing her all the best.
"I understand...I wouldn’t have been in love with me either. Wishing you all the best. All love, Shaq," he wrote on Instagram.