NBA Legend Takes On ‘Home Depot Girl’ Trolls

Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal has leapt to the defence of a fashion influencer who was trolled for wearing her Home Depot DIY shop uniform in a post.

Photo shows Ariana Cossie, undated. She received a message from Shaquille ONeal ‘Tell all your boyfriends I said hello’. (@ariijosephine/CEN)

Content creator Ariana Cossie, who also goes by Ariana Josephine, became a sensation when she posed in the outfit, captioning the photo: “The one job I work at that I get reminded I’m too pretty to work at.”

But University student Ariana – who has a part-time job at the store – was mocked by some who said she should be cashing in on the London-based adult content platform OnlyFans instead.

Now NBA hero Shaq has stuck up for her with a heartwarming direct message.

Ariana – now known as “Home Depot Girl” – later shared the DM exchange she had with the basketball legend.

Shaq, 51, said: “don’t let them peopl bother u”. (sic)

Ariana – from Houston, in the US state of Texas – then replied: “Thank you Shaq!”

Shaq then came back: “don’t read the comments stuff like that will drive u crazy”. (sic)

Photo shows the conversation between Ariana Cossie and Shaquille ONeal. He wrote: ‘Tell all your boyfriends I said hello’. (@ariijosephine/CEN)

And he added: “have a great day tell all your boyfriends i said hello lol”. (sic)

To which Ariana replied: “HAHA i will thank you!! u too!” (sic)

Later Ariana said: “When Shaq text you know you doing something right okay!” (sic)

Some followers have wondered whether O’Neal, who is well known for his random acts of kindness and for his Instagram DM scandals, was trying to flirt with the social media star.

But he said on Instagram: “Just uplifting people that’s what the diesel do baby i uplift people google me.”