NBA fans can be forgiven for only having so many names come to mind when confronted with a seven-foot question mark of a man. The Rudy Gobert hating Shaquille O'Neal is one of the first names that come to mind but the NBA on TNT cut-up character had to set the record straight amid some new girlfriend rumors. There was no two ways about it either. The Hall of Famer was offering a very strong rebuttal to everyone on social media suggesting a new relationship had been sparked.

“I will let yall (sic) know when I'm in love,” Shaq posted.

The post was accompanied by a video with O'Neal lip-syncing to Denzel Washington's Training Day monologue to end the beloved movie.

Maria Ozuna Teachey was not the instigator of the speculation but the conspiracy did originate with her photo. The picture has since been deleted and Ozuna Teachey has so far remained silent when it comes to naming names.

Shaq has opened up about his “dumbass mistakes” before but getting caught with a low-key social media pic does not make the list. O'Neal is no stranger to talk of a significant other recently though. He shared a few funny stories about a celebrity crush on a Labor Day edition of Complex's GOAT Talk podcast.

“I had a shot one time and I froze,” Shaq laughed. “So one day I'm at the Four Seasons on Doheny [Los Angeles] and I'm in the elevator. I'm coming up from the bottom and the door opens. It's me, D Mac, and the door opens and it's Halle Berry.”

“All I could hear was the ding” O'Neal shared. “What made it worse is she spoke to me first….Then (the door) opened and then she f*cking walked out.”

Shaquille O'Neal not walking out of NBA on TNT deal

Jun 9, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; NBA former player Shaquille O'Neill laughs on the NBA TV set before game two of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images

No matter what is happening in O'Neal's private life, he should have a public platform for years to come. The NBA is set to receive billions over the next decade. The new broadcasting setup should have a spot for Shaq's valued voice.

Fans won't mind Shaq speaking his mind either. It has been a fun offseason listening to the legend riff on everyone from Gobert, to Ben Simmons, to Team USA, to Caitlin Clark being the real deal. Even French phenom Victor Wembanyama has been fair game. That is why it is hard to see the LSU alum walking away from the TNT Inside the NBA set or any similar situation once the NBA's new broadcasting deal kicks in.

Well, unless the right woman comes along.