Shaquille O’Neal was one of the many high-profile celebrities who endorsed the now-defunct cryptocurrency platform, FTX and has been accused of avoiding being served a class-action lawsuit filed against the celebrity endorsers. Like Shaquille O’Neal, a three-time NBA champion was also brought in by FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried to serve as a spokesperson for the company. Recently, Shaq shared a public adoration for the Miami Heat veteran, amid growing concerns.
The 51-year-old has not publicly commented on the situation, but his actions suggest that he is still in high spirits despite the fallout from the failed investment. In fact, the Big Dieselrecently shared a video of the Miami Heat’s oldest active player, Udonis Haslem, who has also been involved in the debacle.
Shaquille O’Neal shares an intriguing clip of Udonis Haslem
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Shaquille O’Neal was recently accused of avoiding being served a class-action lawsuit filed against the celebrities who endorsed the now-defunct cryptocurrency platform. The plaintiffs’ attorneys even floated the idea of hiring private investigators to track down the Diesel. However, Shaq seemed to be pretty unfazed by the whole ordeal as he shared a clip of Udonis Haslem getting serenaded.
Incidentally, Shaq shared the floor with Haslem for almost four years. The duo was part of Miami’s 2006 NBA championship-winning roster as well.
The Big Aristotle uploaded an intriguing Instagram story of Haslem, where he can be seen walking through a mall, with people cheering “let’s go heat” in the background. The video serves as a testament to the enduring respect the Heat fans have for the 42-year-old, despite his recent struggles.
Haslem has been a part of the Miami Heat since 2003. The undrafted player out of Jacksonville quickly became a fan favorite in Miami, as fans couldn’t help but appreciate the effort and tenacity of the veteran every single night. Although he is still contracted to the Eastern Conference franchise, Haslem serves more as a mentor than as a player. The last time he played more than 20 minutes per game was over a decade ago.
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Nonetheless, the love and adulation that Miami fans have for the 6’7 forward is second to none. He has earned a special place in their hearts and it doesn’t look like that’ll change anytime soon.
Haslem found himself in hot water along with Shaquille O’Neal
Miami Heat basketball player Udonis Haslem, along with his wife, fell victim to a cryptocurrency scam involving the now-defunct FTX platform. Haslem had been one of the company’s spokespersons, and part of his deal included $15 million in equity shares. However, as the platform faced liquidity issues and failed to secure enough investment rounds, the scam quickly came to light, leaving those who invested or endorsed the company with nothing but broken promises.
Haslem had joined FTX with the intention of using the money to give back to the community, but he now finds himself on the losing end of an $8,920,000,000 scam. The fact that the company was headquartered in the Bahamas, where he has many relatives, made the blow even harder to bear. Despite the disappointment and heartbreak, Haslem maintains that he joined FTX with pure intentions and was able to give back to the city of Miami through small-business loans and charity work.