NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal said during a recent interview that he was not ready to rule out the possibility that the earth might be flat.
O’Neal joined Australia’s popular morning show “The Kyle and Jackie O Show,” and the conversation spanned a number of topics — from his most recent extravagant purchase to his beliefs about science.
WATCH:
Shaq Explains Why He Doesn't Dismiss the 'Flat Earth' Conspiracy Theory
H/T: Chief Nerd
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“I did hear a podcast once where you were fighting with someone and claiming that you thought the world was flat and that there’s no way it was round,” host Kyle Sandilands prompted. “Was that a joke or is that what you think?”
“It’s a theory,” Shaq said simply.
“So neither,” Sandilands replied.
“No, I mean —” O’Neal started to explain when Jackie O. jumped in, adding, “No, it’s a theory.”
“No — it’s just a theory,” O’Neal said again. “You know, they teach us a lot of things, it’s just a theory. For example, I flew 20 hours today. Not once did I go this way?”
The basketball legend waved his hand in a circle to illustrate his point.
“I didn’t tip over and didn’t go upside down. So, but it is just a theory,” he said again.
Sandilands pushed back a bit, arguing, “No, you — cause if you left New York, you can fly that way to Australia. And if you left out of Los Angeles, you can fly that way. So how does that work?”
“But it’s still a straight line,” O’Neal protested. “You don’t go under, it’s just a theory. And then, you know, another theory — how they say the world is spinning. I’ve been living on the house on the lake for 30 years. Not once did the lake rotate to the left or rotate to the right.”
“I’ve thought of that, too. I’ve thought, if we’re spinning so fast, why aren’t we dizzy?” Sandilands asked.
O’Neal also informed the hosts that he had recently splurged on a 70-foot animatronic dinosaur for his home — which he referred to as a “brontosaurus rex.”
RICH AF basketball legend @SHAQ shares with us his latest ballin' purchase!!! 🦖 #ShaquilleONeal #Shaq #KJShow pic.twitter.com/BNbAUG3V65
— Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo) August 23, 2022
The former NBA star has addressed the topic previously, making several similar arguments during a 2017 conversation with late night host Jimmy Kimmel — after which he clarified, “I’m just joking, relax!”