Shaq calls BS on Wilt Chamberlain's 20,000 women urban legend
Shaquille O'Neal has never been one to mince words, and he wasn't about to start when the topic turned to Wilt Chamberlain's infamous claim. On a recent episode of The Big Podcast with Brandon Jennings and Adam Lefkoe, the Lakers legend flat-out dismissed Chamberlain's decades-old statement that he slept with 20,000 women, per Yahoo. His reaction? Pure disbelief laced with the kind of unfiltered commentary only Shaq can deliver.
'First of all, he didn't have no cell phone,' O'Neal pointed out, questioning the logistics of Chamberlain allegedly meeting and sleeping with nearly 20 women a day. 'You show up? You just pop up and there's 20 women waiting?'
Shaq wasn't done. He broke it down, doing the kind of street-level math that brings this number into full-blown fantasy territory. 'A thousand women a year for 20 years? Get the f*** outta here,' he said. 'Who even knows 20,000 people?'
While Shaq's delivery was laced with humor and disbelief, there was a real point behind the performance. His skepticism wasn't about hating on Chamberlain's legacy, it was about calling out what he sees as an exaggerated myth that's persisted in sports folklore for too long.
Ironically, Chamberlain may have softened on the claim later in life. In his autobiography Wilt: Larger Than Life, the late Hall of Famer framed the number less as a verified count and more of a symbol. He admitted the 20,000 figure was chosen to illustrate how central sex was to his life—equally important, in his view, as basketball.
'We're all fascinated by numbers,' he said, referencing his historic 100-point game. 'So I thought of a number that was a round number… and I used that number.'
But later in life, Chamberlain walked some of that bravado back. He acknowledged that while the playboy lifestyle got attention, it paled in comparison to the joy of a meaningful relationship. It was a sentiment that echoed the growth of a man once defined by records and excess, now leaning into reflection.
Shaq's commentary might have come with jokes and expletives, but the underlying sentiment was serious. Legends grow, stories stretch, and sometimes, the best way to honor greatness is to separate the myth from the man.
Related: Joey Chestnut working on returning to competition after ban
Related: Shaq, Brandon Jennings reveal truth about women in lobbies NBA myth
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
"Ex-Wife Is Still Living In The House" - Bill Simmons Uses Wild Analogy For LeBron James' Situation With Lakers
"Ex-Wife Is Still Living In The House" - Bill Simmons Uses Wild Analogy For LeBron James' Situation With Lakers originally appeared on Fadeaway World. LeBron James' future with the Los Angeles Lakers has been one of the biggest talking points this offseason. With the Lakers now seemingly shifting their focus to Luka Doncic and his interests, The Ringer's Bill Simmons came up with an interesting analogy to describe the current situation for James. 'So they announced the Luka extension," Simmons said. "It's basically a two-year deal, he has a player option for the third year, and ... it sets himself up to make a kajillion dollars in 2028. And then LeBron's over there and he's Instagramming out his workouts, and the whole thing is just bizarre to watch. 'LeBron James has been in control of every situation he's ever been in basketball-wise," Simmons continued. "Who has always held the cards, and this is the first time ever where that's not the case. And now the Lakers, it's almost like watching somebody move in their younger, hotter girlfriend, but the ex-wife is still living in the house, taking selfies of themselves. 'I'm riveted, I can't wait to see how this plays out from a media manipulation standpoint over the next two weeks," Simmons added. "I have my fork, my knife, and my plate, my napkins ready to go.' James' greatness as a player had led to him always being in control. The 21-time All-Star could potentially strong-arm a front office into making moves he wanted, but that's no longer the case now. For the first time in James' career, he is playing alongside someone who is better than him. Doncic is the one who can call the shots, and he played a big role in Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart signing with the Lakers. In years past, James has had his teams bring in players he wanted. While the Lakers didn't always make moves that the 40-year-old desired, his voice was the loudest in the room. Now, it's Doncic's. Like Simmons, James' former teammate, Kendrick Perkins, believes that he and his agent, Rich Paul, don't control the Lakers anymore. Perkins thinks Doncic and his agent, Bill Duffy, are the new sheriffs in town. With all this happening, every move James makes or doesn't make gets highlighted and analyzed. Most recently, he was one of the few Lakers players who didn't attend Doncic's press conference after he signed his three-year, $165 million extension. James' absence, just days after he posted pictures of his training at a former Los Angeles Clippers facility, signaled to some that he was expressing his displeasure. It was later reported, though, that he had FaceTimed Doncic to congratulate him on getting that extension. So, any talk of a rift can be put to bed. Still, it does seem like James won't be on the Lakers after the 2025-26 season. The team reportedly prefers that his contract is off their books in 2026, and that was never the case in the past. Teams did all they could to hold on to James, but Doncic's presence means the Lakers are comfortable with the prospect of his departure. Should James become a free agent in 2026, you'd imagine he'd have plenty of suitors. He averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game in 2024-25, and there is gas left in the story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Zendaya Offers a Rare Glimpse of Her Engagement Ring While Walking Dogs With Tom Holland
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." THE RUNDOWN Zendaya and Tom Holland were photographed walking their dogs in casual ensembles. Zendaya showed off her east-west engagement ring in a rare shot of the pair during their downtime. Both Holland and Zendaya are shooting The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day this spring and summer. Zendaya and Tom Holland have been busy working on several projects this year, with the couple now beginning production on Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The Marvel film is shooting in Glasgow, but Holland and Zendaya recently enjoyed some downtime in London's Richmond Park. The Sun ran photos of the pair walking their two dogs. Zendaya had on a pink oversize sweater and dark capris, with her hair down in waves. Her east-west engagement ring stood out against the casual look. See the shots here. Holland, meanwhile, wore a burgundy baseball cap embroidered with the name of his nonalcoholic beer company, Bero, along with a light-blue short-sleeve top and gray pants. Zendaya's longtime stylist, Law Roach, recently revealed the couple is holding off on planning their wedding despite getting engaged over six months ago. 'The process hasn't even started yet,' he told E! at the Las Culturistas Culture Awards' red carpet last month. 'Zendaya is working on so many movies. She's now filming the next iteration of Dune [Part Three in Hungary], so she's away doing that. It's so many movies, so we have time. We have a lot of time.' He added that the actress will be 'a secret bride,' as the pair would like to keep their nuptials private. Zendaya has been filming The Odyssey, Euphoria's third season, and Dune: Part Three this spring and summer; she'll now begin work on Spider-Man: Brand New Day as well, where she'll reprise her role as MJ. Holland is shooting Spider-Man and is also in The Odyssey. You Might Also Like The 15 Best Organic And Clean Shampoos For Any And All Hair Types 100 Gifts That Are $50 Or Under (And Look Way More Expensive Than They Actually Are) Solve the daily Crossword
Cosmopolitan
6 hours ago
- Cosmopolitan
Matthew Koma Calls Out Hilary Duff for Having Sex in Dirty Shirt
Matthew Koma and Hilary Duff are out here being cute and flirty on Instagram, per usual. Hilary posted a video of her husband wearing a tank top that honestly looks like it's seen some things, captioning the photo "Pretty cool that you're still wearing your shirt that you performed in yesterday at sweaty Lollapalooza and you flew home in, and you're well into this day. Also having a pretty intense nip slip right now." Matthew performed at Lollapalooza with his band Winnetka Bowling League, and he shot back "You had sex with me in this shirt. What's that say about you?" I love them. Hilary and Matthew got married in 2019, and she recently gushed about him to Us Weekly (via Yahoo). "Oh, [he's] the best. Are you kidding?" she said. "My friends in town right now from Toronto, and I haven't seen her for a year, and we wanted to get a workout in. So I was like, 'We're gonna do a 7 a.m. workout. You got the kids?' And he's like, 'I'm on it. I got the kids.' He packed lunches and made breakfast and got everybody dressed and drove them to school. Like, he's in it." She added, "He's so hands-on, and then he's also my best friend. We get in bed and just download information to each other at night, and it's for fun. We're really in the thick of it right now."
