Yesterday I broke the news that a life-size statue of Shaquille O’Neal commissioned by representatives of LSU’s athletic interests - inside and outside the university - had been completed.

In July, 2010, the LSU athletic department made a formal request of the university to erect the now-completed statue outside the LSU basketball practice facility. Today I was told that the request was subsequently granted by the school.

Monday I reported that O’Neal, who has anonymously donated millions to LSU over the years after obtaining his degree from the school in 2000, did not want LSU to celebrate him with a statue on campus.

But since my story was published Monday morning, that’s changed. Read more…

On July 8, 2010, the LSU Athletic Department formally, though quietly, proposed to the university that a “life-size” statue of Shaquille O’Neal be erected outside the school’s new basketball practice facility.

At the time, the practice facility was the latest construction project that O’Neal had donated significant funds to. Over the years O’Neal, who completed his LSU degree in 2000, has given multiple millions to the school for the construction of an academic center and on-campus hotel, all the while directing the school not to put his name on any of the new facilities. (He eventually allowed the school to dedicate the hotel pool as the “Shaquille O’Neal family pool” with a small sign.)

But with the construction of the new hoops practice facility, named after the late, great Pete Maravich, a LSU university source recently told me that representatives of LSU’s athletic interests - inside and outside of the university - hatched a plan some time ago to erect four statues outside the building.

The statues would be of Maravich, O’Neal, LSU great and basketball Hall of Famer Bob Petit and former LSU women’s basketball star Seimone Augustus.

While it would seem that Maravich would naturally be the first to gain such an honor, I’ve been told that at least two LSU Board of Supervisors members have demanded that an O’Neal statue go up first, because of his profound financial contributions to the school - which were accompanied by requests for anonymity. Read more…

The former wife of Shaquille O’Neal, Shaunie O’Neal, appeared last Friday on the syndicated morning radio show Big Boy’s Neighborhood.

During the appearance O’Neal, who created the VH-1 reality show Basketball Wives, revealed the only NBA player who she claimed she knew wasn’t cheating on his wife.

O’Neal:

“Someone asked me recently if I knew any basketball player who is faithful. … I think that I do know one that is faithful. Personally. Read more…

Monday Shaquille O’Neal was in St. Louis for Albert Pujols‘ annual charity golf tournament. Afterwards, O’Neal and friends retired to the suburban Sahara Mediterranean Cuisine and Hookah Lounge for dinner.

Lounge owner Sam David told the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH that while the NBA player was in his establishment, he may have made a monumental commitment.

“I think he may have proposed to his girlfriend,” Sam David said today. “He brought a chair into the middle of the dance floor and he put a ring on her finger.”

David said he did not know the name of the woman who was with Shaq, nor of any of the others in the new Boston Celtics center’s entourage.

So if David’s story is true, who is the lucky lady?

Read more…

Last year after Kobe won the NBA Championship without Shaq, O’Neal Tweeted:

Last night after Kobe won the NBA Championship without Shaq, O’Neal Tweeted: Read more…

VH1 announced today to the media that its launching a new series called Football Wives, which the cable channel claims will give “viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the glamorous life of the better halves of professional football’s most elite players. Production will begin immediately. The eight-episode 30-minute series is set to premiere later this year.”

(Shaunie reax today on Twitter)

More from the VH1 media release:

“Building on the success of Basketball Wives, we want to take a look at the differences and challenges of being the better half of a player in America’s most popular sport,” said Jeff Olde, Executive Vice President of Original Programming and Production. “We are thrilled to expand this franchise and give viewers access to a new, unique and exclusive world that you have to see to believe.”

Cast members of the show have yet to be revealed but if the past week is any indication, pickings may be slim.

Before Basketball Wives debuted last Sunday, TMZ.com reports today that Shaquille O’Neal attorney Michael Kump sent a letter, dated April 8, to VH1 parent MTV Networks claiming that any mention of his NBA client by O’Neal’s ex-wife Shaunie, who is the star of the show, would constitute a violation of a formal confidentially agreement between the former couple.

Shaq’s lawyer Kump thus claimed to MTV Networks that Shaunie legally was not allowed to mention Shaq’s name on the show, with confirmation of the adherence to that demand required by 5pm today.

At 5pm PT today, I asked a MTV Networks spokesman in Los Angeles about the status of the show and was told that the company had no comment.

So what kind of chance is there that Shaunie will indeed have to adhere to a gag order when it comes to mentioning Shaq?

Read more…

Cool video from Jermaine Dupri’s official website, Global14.com.

(Dupri took 200 stacks from Shaq? Sure it wasn’t flapjacks?)

Dupri chronicles his day at the All-Star Game in Dallas, and has a mildly amusing interchange with Shaquille O’Neal. In addition to some unfortunate singing, Shaq tells us he previously lost $200,000 gambling with Dupri.
Read more…

An increasing din emanating from urban gossip blogs about the alleged extramarital dalliances of Shaquille O’Neal has grown considerably the past two months.

(Inset: O’Neal’s estranged wife Shaunie)

That smoke has since wafted over to RadarOnline.com and TMZ.com, with both outlets now covering accusations from a woman, repped by Gloria Allred, alleging O’Neal harassed her. Also, as recently as today, RadarOnline produced a woman it claimed was an alleged mistress of O’Neal.

So are we starting to get to the point where O’Neal’s rep with the media, fans and sponsors is about to take a monster, Tiger-like hit? Before you answer, keep reading.

On November 5, the urban blog Young, Black & Fabulous alleged that O’Neal was having an affair with Laura Govan,  the fiancee of Gilbert Arenas. The website subsequently produced emails and other evidence in an attempt to prove that O’Neal had trysts with Govan.

On November 10, O’Neal’s wife Shaunie separated from her husband of seven years with the intention of filing for divorce. The couple has four kids together.

After the YBF report, O’Neal drastically curtailed his Tweeting. Ironic considering that he was the first major athlete to use Twitter liberally. Arenas has since denied that an affair happened between O’Neal and his fiancee, though O’Neal has made no public statement about the report.

(Tim Floyd seen hovering, envelope in hand)

Then on December 4, Young Black & Fabulous struck again.

Read more…

Yesterday I noted how THEYBF.com was once again reporting that Shaquille O’Neal was have an extramarital affair. (His wife Shaunie recently filed for divorce.) The same site in November reported that Shaq had sex with the fiancee and mother of Gilbert Arenas‘ children.

This time THEYBF.com accuses Shaq of having sex *shudder* with the girlfriend and baby momma of Minnesota Timberwolves player Damien Wilkins. Similar to the Arenas report, the website has what it claims is an email exchange between Shaq and Wilkins’ girlfriend, a “stripper from Atlanta” named LaTosha Lee. Read more…

First the folks at Young Black & Fabulous told us that Shaquille O’Neal was (allegedly) fooling around the Gilbert Arenas‘ baby momma and fiancee, and now THEYBF.com is back with an allegation that Shaq is hooking up with another NBA baller’s baby momma:

Shaq must make a habit out of making other NBA ballers’ baby mamas his jump-offs. TheYBF.com has just learned that Shaq cheated on Shaunie for the last year with Oklahoma Thunder baller Damien Wilkins’ baby’s mama. Latosha Lee–a stripper from Atlanta who now lives in Orlando–and Damien–originally from Georgia–share a son and are no longer a couple. But we have seen the risque and juicy emails between a very married Shaquille O’Neal and Ms. Lee.

Like the Arenas report, which included emails and was never denied by O’Neal, THEYBF.com claims to have emails between the two and even a nude image (above) sexted from Lee to Shaq. And that’s not even all the documentation! Read more…