Shaquille O'Neal Attempts to Set the Record Straight About His Tiger King Appearance

Netflix's Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness documentary has captured people's attention in a big way since it hit the streaming service, opening people's eyes to a hidden world of drugs and murder all wrapped up in a Tiger Sanctuary setting. The premise is so outlandish that it's easy to understand why many are captivated by it, and along the way, Joe Exotic's Tiger Sanctuary attracted many through its doors that didn't realize what was really going on. That's what happened to NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal according to his recent comments, who faced some backlash after appearing int he documentary, where he is shown attending the Sanctuary. He decided to set the record straight on his appearance on his show Inside The NBA, assuring he is not Exotic's friend and didn't have a clue what was really going on (via Los Angeles Times).

"I love tigers," O'Neal said. "I was just a visitor. I met [Exotic] — not my friend. I don't know him. Never had any business dealings with him, and I had no idea any of that stuff was going on."

"We find out that he's involved with all this stuff, and actually I stopped going," O'Neal said. "I'm righteous. I don't harm tigers. ... Do I put donations to zoos to help these tigers out? I do ... Do I own tigers personally at my house? No. But I love tigers."

O'Neal is one of many who have watched Tiger King, with O'Neal adding "It's actually a really good documentary."

"I will continue to go to people's sanctuaries and farms and look at cats," O'Neal said. "That's not going to stop me."

You can find the official description for Tiger King below.

"Among the eccentrics and cult personalities in the stranger-than-fiction world of big cat owners, few stand out more than Joe Exotic, a mulleted, gun-toting polygamist and country western singer who presides over an Oklahoma roadside zoo. Charismatic but misguided, Joe and an unbelievable cast of characters including drug kingpins, conmen, and cult leaders all share a passion for big cats, and the status and attention their dangerous menageries garner. But things take a dark turn when Carole Baskin, an animal activist and owner of a big cat sanctuary, threatens to put them out of business, stoking a rivalry that eventually leads to Joe's arrest for a murder-for-hire plot, and reveals a twisted tale where the only thing more dangerous than a big cat is its owner."

Tiger King is available on Netflix now.