"Shaq don't pull a Shay Shay lol” - Fans react with amusement to Shaquille O'Neal using media star to deny viral girlfriend rumors

Shaquille O'Neal has tried to come clean about a viral post this week. The post showed a woman surrounded by the big arms of a black man who some said was the four-time NBA champion. As soon as fans started sharing the picture, O'Neal denied the speculation. He shared an Instagram reel of him recreating the pose with other women to indicate that it wasn't a romantic gesture.

“Is this my girlfriend too, trust me I’ll let yall know who my woman is, and by the way my woman name is Shaqirah,” he captioned the post.

The speculation is seemingly still there, but O'Neal isn't done 'cleaning' his name. He shared another video on Tuesday to talk about his real girlfriend. This time, the clip included actress Alexa Leighton, to whom Shaq performed an exotic dance while wearing an all-black outfit.

"My real girlfriend knows I’m a big black exotic dancer #itwasntme @alexaleighton," he captioned the post.

Fans reacted to this video, with some warning O'Neal against pulling a Shannon Sharpe.

"Shaq don't pull a Shay Shay lol 'that's my Michelle' lol," one fan commented.

@shaq - Instagram post

@shaq - Instagram post

Others joked about O'Neal's strategy to put this situation to rest.

@shaq - Instagram post

Shaquille O'Neal sings 'It Wasn't Me' in hilarious video

Shaquille O'Neal has been on a remarkable run since this photo went viral. The Big Diesel has kept dropping posts on social media to make fun of this situation but also clarifying that nothing said about him is true.

He teamed up with Peter Gunz, a host of the show Cheaters, in another Instagram post to lip-sync to Shaggy's iconic song, 'It Wasn't Me.' In the song, a man caught having sex with another woman asks his friend for advice and the response he gets is to deny everything.

O'Neal once again demonstrated he's a funny man and is giving fans a good time after going viral. We're yet to see if he'll be public about his next relationship or will take a private approach. Meanwhile, he's preparing for another NBA season, the final one of 'Inside the NBA' covering the association.