NBA Legend Shaquille O'Neal Shares Surprising Theory on Blue Origin Space Flight

Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has stirred conversation after casting doubts on the authenticity of Blue Origin’s recent landmark space flight, which saw an all-female crew journey beyond Earth’s atmosphere. The Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ private aerospace company made headlines with the historic mission, featuring notable participants such as Lauren Sanchez, Katy Perry, Gayle King, NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen.

During a candid discussion with comedian David Spade on his podcast, O’Neal raised suspicions regarding footage released of the event. He suggested that elements of the video appeared artificial, specifically citing the way hair behaved in zero gravity.

O’Neal elaborated:

• “I know Jeff loves Laura. He wouldn’t want anything to happen to her.”
• “So, I think there was some green screen involvement there. That’s one. No. 2, their hair was luxurious in space. Katy Perry’s hair didn’t move. Laura’s hair didn’t move. Nobody’s hair moved.”
• “Then I saw when they landed Jeff had the special key, but it was already open. So, I’m going to go Universal Studios green screen on this one.”

The NBA legend, now a television analyst, based much of his skepticism on his belief that Bezos would not risk sending his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, into space, as well as perceived discrepancies in the video’s authenticity.

Despite O’Neal’s comments, the Blue Origin mission drew support and attention from many celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, who was present at the launch. The entire flight lasted just over 10 minutes. Upon returning safely to Earth, pop star Katy Perry described the journey as “second to being a mom,” emphasizing the emotional weight of leaving her family behind for such a significant, yet risky, endeavor.

Blue Origin has not publicly responded to O’Neal’s remarks or the questions raised about the video. The company continues to highlight the milestone as a major achievement for female representation in space exploration and for commercial space tourism.

The debate comes at a time when commercial spaceflight is attracting growing interest—and scrutiny—from the public, celebrities, and experts alike. As space tourism gains momentum, questions about safety, authenticity, and transparency are likely to remain at the forefront of public discussion.