Shaquille O’Neal and Britanny Renner’s dinner caused some awkward tension on Basketball Wives

Shaquille O’Neal’s dinner with internet model Brittany Renner caused quite the buzz and was also the topic of discussion on Basketball Wives. The VH1 show had an awkward moment with both Renner and O’Neal’s ex-wife Shaunie Nelson present, as Evelyn Lozada and Jennifer Williams shared their thoughts on the whole shebang.

Speaking on the show, Renner became the focus when Lozada said the former was looking for a husband and asked her directly if the “husband was Shaquille,” but the model, who was also linked with PJ Washington, quashed that notion.

“No. He’s one of the people I’ve always talked to. He’s just a good guy, and that’s just kind of it. There’s really not much to it,” she said.

Soon after Renner clarified, the camera panned on Nelson, who just gestured with a no-care reaction. However, the awkward tension could be sensed when Lozada and Williams were talking to Renner.

The former Los Angeles Lakers superstar and Renner dined at the Beverley Hills Hotel, a popular spot in LA that was incidentally also the location of O’Neal’s wedding with Nelson in 2002. The couple divorced in 2011, and the four-time NBA champion has been on the dating scene since.

Reports deny that Shaquille O’Neal and Brittany Renner dating

While the immediate reaction on social media was that Shaquille O’Neal and Brittany Renner were dating, TMZ confirmed that the two “were not an item.”

“Shaquille O’Neal hit up an L.A. hot spot for dinner on Tuesday, and the NBA legend was joined by none other than internet personality Brittany Renner, but we’re told it was nothing more than two friends catching up…,” TMZ reported.

“Sources tell us the two are NOT an item — they have been cool for a long time and just wanted to reconnect…You can stick a fork in the dating rumors, ’cause our sources are adamant it was strictly platonic,” the report added.

The report also said that they arrived for dinner around 6 p.m. and exited the restaurant around 8 p.m.

Renner garnered headlines after having a child with Charlotte Hornets’ star PJ Washington. According to the New York Post, she was accused of “seducing” the forward, but she later explained that she had wanted him to wait.

Later, she generated buzz again for being the guest speaker for NFL star Deion Sanders’ Jackson State college football team back in 2021.