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Is Shaquille O’Neal a Flat Earther? NBA legend says he lives on a lake and has 'never seen it move'!

Shaq avoided being identified as a supporter of the debunked Flat Earth theory and insisted it was 'just a theory' like any other

MIAMI, FLORIDA: Shaquille O'Neal reveals he has always been curious about the Flat Earth theory. The NBA legend appeared on The Kyle & Jackie O Show on Wednesday, August 24 said he likes listening to pseudoscientific theories about the Earth being flat, and admitted he still isn't sure if the planet is "really spinning."

During the Australian radio show, the athlete went on to elaborate, giving the example of his most recent flight from the US to Australia. He pointed diagonally and stated, "I flew 20 hours today, not once did I go this way." Shaq added, "I flew straight." During the interview, the 50-year-old was also questioned about previous statements he had made about the subject. 

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But Shaq avoided being identified as a supporter of the debunked Flat Earth theory and insisted it was "just a theory," before adding that he enjoys researching conspiracies out of curiosity. "It's a theory, it's just a theory, they teach us a lot of things. It's just a theory," said the former LA Laker, who is known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Daily Mail reported.

Kyle Sandilands, a radio host, questioned the theory, pointing out how it's possible to travel from America to Australia from the east or west coast. Shaq, shot back, "It's still a straight line." He later said, "You know they say the world is spinning? I've lived on a lake for 30 years and I've never seen the lake move to the left or right." He added, "I like listening to them. It's not about being wrong or right, I just like listening to them."

The world-traveling athlete has made ridiculous claims about the Earth's being flat before. In 2017, he first brought up the theory during a segment of The Big Podcast with Shaq In 2017 while chatting with co-host John Kincade, he said, "It's true. The Earth is flat." Shaq once said to Bleacher Report, "Listen, there are three ways to manipulate the mind — what you read, what you see and what you hear." he continued, "In school, first thing they teach us is, Oh, Columbus discovered America but when he got there, there were some fair-skinned people with the long hair smoking on the peace pipes. So, what does that tell you? Columbus didn't discover America."

The Hall of Fame also shared his travel experience linking it to his Flat Earth theory and said, "I drive from coast to coast, and this s--- is flat to me. I'm just saying. I drive from Florida to California all the time, and it's flat to me. I do not go up and down at a 360-degree angle, and all that stuff about gravity, have you looked outside Atlanta lately and seen all these buildings? You mean to tell me that China is under us? China is under us? It's not. The world is flat." He then reportedly called satellite imagery "drawn and made up." 

Shaq, however, took back his comments on his theory about flat earth in a later interview. "The Earth is flat," he claimed to The Washington Post. "Would you like to hear my theory? The first part of the theory is, I’m joking, you idiots." He continued, "So know that when Shaquille O’Neal says something, 80 percent of the time I’m being humorous, and it is a joke. And 20 percent of the time, I’m being serious. But when I’m being serious, you’ll know."

One user on Twitter wrote, "Oh, Shaq."  Another wrote,"Don't you mean, the Land Down Over, if you truly believe the world is flat? Have you joined the the Flat Earth Society? They have followers all over the Globe. I certainly do hope you are joking, believing it is flat. It's as round as the ball that made you MILLION$." One user tweeted,"Yo, @SHAQ, you've gotta stop the flat earth trolling. Dumb people are believing you." One wrote,"Wow! I don’t know if the earth is flat. But what I can say with absolutely certainty is that the general population has not been told the whole truth about our planet, space, and space flight. And a great number of other topics!"