Summary (tl;dr)

Reality TV personality Natalie Nunn is trending after she claimed on Cam Newton's "Funky Friday" podcast that NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal purchased her first car while she was a student athlete at the University of Southern California. The revelation has sparked reactions online, including from O'Neal's former fiancée, Nikki "Hoopz" Alexander.

Essential Background

Natalie Nunn first rose to fame as a cast member on the fourth season of the reality television series "Bad Girls Club" in 2009. She has since appeared on numerous other reality shows and is currently an executive producer and main cast member of the Zeus series "Baddies." Shaquille O'Neal is a retired NBA superstar who played for various teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, and has since become a prominent sports analyst and media personality. O'Neal was reportedly engaged to Nikki "Hoopz" Alexander, another reality TV personality, with their engagement ending in August 2012. Rumors of a relationship between O'Neal and Nunn had surfaced in 2011.

The Full Story

Natalie Nunn made headlines after her appearance on the December 26, 2025, episode of former NFL star Cam Newton's "Funky Friday" podcast. During the interview, Nunn claimed that Shaquille O'Neal bought her a brand new Volkswagen Beetle, her first car, when she was a student at the University of Southern California (USC) and O'Neal played for the Los Angeles Lakers. While Newton probed further, Nunn denied having a romantic relationship with O'Neal, insisting she was a college student who attended games and received the car without any strings attached. Following Nunn's statement, Shaquille O'Neal's ex-girlfriend, Nikki "Hoopz" Alexander, cryptically reacted to the claims by posting a pair of looking eyes emoji on an Instagram post promoting the podcast clip.

Why It Matters

This story is trending due to the involvement of two prominent figures from the entertainment and sports worlds – reality TV star Natalie Nunn and NBA icon Shaquille O'Neal – and the intriguing nature of Nunn's claims. The alleged gift of a car from O'Neal to Nunn during a period when rumors of their relationship circulated, and before his split from Alexander was finalized, adds a layer of speculation and public interest. The virality of the "Funky Friday" podcast and the subsequent reaction from "Hoopz" Alexander have further fueled discussions across social media, drawing attention to past relationships and the personal lives of celebrities.

Geographic Location

• University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States (Natalie Nunn's college attendance and alleged car purchase)
• Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States (Shaquille O'Neal's professional basketball career with the Lakers during the period of the alleged car purchase)