Shaq Under Fire For Mocking Disabled Fan’s Selfie

Shaquille O’Neal is being blasted for posting a picture of himself making a contorted face next to Jamel Binion’s face. Binion is disabled.

FOX 2 reports the post, captioned “Smile today,” earned more than 14,000 likes, with former University of Michigan athlete Trey Burke and rapper Waka Flocka Flame joining in on the teasing.

The post has been deleted. But for Binion, the damage has been done.

In a now-deleted post on Instagram, Shaquille O’Neal made fun of a disabled fan’s selfie.

With missing teeth and abnormal hair growth caused by the rare disorder ectodermal dysplasia, the Michigan man is used to getting bullied — but Shaq’s mockery was too much to bear.

He considered Shaq his basketball idol and respected the former high-profile athlete’s charitable works and advocacy for disadvantaged children in America.

“I’ve been getting teased since I was yay (sic) tall. People laugh at me, stare at me,” Binion said. “I was kind of hurt because I’ve always looked up to him. I’ve watched Shaq play basketball since I was (inaudible), so I was like, why are you making fun of me? He is supposed to be this role model.”

By: Cheston Catalano

Cheston Catalano is a Kentucky-based journalist whose work has been featured in the Chattanooga Times Free Press and the Clarksville Leaf Chronicle. He is a long-time contributor to Liberaland.