Shaq Loses $20 Million Deal Over Flat Earth Joke
NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, also known as Shaq, recently revealed that he lost a lucrative $20 million deal due to his public comment about the Earth being flat.
The incident occurred during an episode of Complex's "GOAT Talk," where Shaq discussed various topics with his son, Myles O'Neal. A cue card question brought up the infamous flat Earth debate, prompting Shaq to recall his controversial statement.
"I said Earth was flat one time, and I lost a fking big deal on that. Yeah, cause [of] the haters," Shaq admitted.
While he didn't disclose the company's name, Shaq explained that the decision-makers received 500,000 complaints, leading them to terminate the partnership. "It was like 500,000 hate mail they said man we can't big deal like $20 million I'm not going to elaborate on it," he stated.
Shaq's flat Earth comment caused a media uproar in 2017 when he appeared on "The Big Podcast With Shaq." He later clarified his statement on Jordan Harbinger's podcast "The Art of Charm," saying he was only joking. "The Earth is flat," he said, adding, "Would you like to hear my theory? The first part of the theory is, I'm joking, you idiots."
This incident coincided with a similar claim by Dallas Mavericks point guard, Kyrie Irving, who later apologized after facing backlash.
Despite the controversy, Shaq continues to make headlines with his off-court activities. Earlier this month, he showcased his custom Tesla Cybertruck, named the "Cyberbeast," featuring a widebody kit and carbon fiber build.