A video circulating on X shows O’Neal meeting Ekaterina Lisina, the world’s tallest professional model. Standing at 6’8.77″, Lisina towers over most people but next to Shaq’s 7’1″ frame, she’s just slightly shorter.
The clip captures the two giants in a seemingly lighthearted exchange. Lisina, standing close to Shaq, jokingly remarks, “I’m literally like sweating!”
The internet had immediate and strong opinions.“Doesn’t Shaq have a wife?” one fan questioned.“Wait he just gonna sexually assault her?” another wrote.
“Shaq always tryna hit some shii,” a third commented.“I hate that whenever I see shaq in the same room as a woman now I just know he’s gonna be touchy and weird,” another user stated.
“That nigga is a walking sexual harassment,” one person declared.“Immediately sexually harassing her, no surprise,” another echoed.
Not everyone saw malice in the moment. Some fans focused on the novelty of seeing two giants together:“They should have a kid together just for sciences sake,” one user joked.
O’Neal has long cultivated a playful, sometimes flirtatious public persona. From his days on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” to his countless commercial appearances, he’s built a brand on being the fun-loving giant who doesn’t take himself too seriously.
But in an era of heightened awareness around consent and boundaries, what was once seen as harmless fun is now being scrutinized.
O’Neal’s kiss has stirred up a whirlwind of controversy. While some fans were taken aback, many weren’t surprised at all they’ve long believed the Big Diesel has a playful side that can often get a little out of control.
Whether this was an innocent peck between friendly giants or something more problematic depends entirely on perspective and on how Lisina herself felt about the interaction.
Shaquille O’Neal meant no harm. He was likely just being Shaq larger than life, playful, and affectionate.
But in 2026, even a kiss on the cheek can become a viral controversy. And for a public figure with O’Neal’s stature, the scrutiny isn’t going away anytime soon.