- Shaquille O’Neal agreed to a settlement in a class action lawsuit over promoting the Astrals project, launched in 2022 with 3D avatars and a DAO token.
- Despite supporting Astrals after FTX’s collapse, Shaq faced legal scrutiny for allegedly acting as a “seller” under securities law.
Shaquille O’Neal has finally closed a chapter in his NFT saga. The former NBA star has agreed to pay $11 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by buyers of Astrals NFTs. The deal was approved by Florida Federal District Judge Federico Moreno after the plaintiffs agreed to $2.9 million in legal fees filed by the lead legal team.
Federal Judge Federico Moreno of the Florida District Court this week finally approved NBA star Shaquille O'Neal's settlement agreement with NFT buyers in a class action lawsuit for $11 million. In the issued order, the judge stated that the plaintiffs had reviewed and approved…
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) April 13, 2025
Shaq’s NFT Journey Took a Sudden Turn
It all started in March 2022, when Shaq, along with his son Myles O’Neal and music manager Brian Bayati, launched the Astrals project. They featured 10,000 futuristic 3D avatars designed by artist Damien Guimoneau, marketed as “metaverse-ready.”
The GLXY token was also introduced as a community governance tool in the form of a DAO, which he said would support innovative projects in the future.
But it’s not just about the technology. The project was born when the NFT market was hot, but unfortunately also entered a dark period shortly after FTX collapsed in late 2022. Astrals’ activity slowly dwindled, leaving its buyers in a big question mark. Shaq himself continued to show support for the project, although he could not stem the backlash from those who felt aggrieved.
The $11 million settlement came without an admission of wrongdoing from Shaq. However, the judge previously acknowledged that the plaintiff’s argument was reasonable, that Shaq could be considered a “seller” under securities law, even though he was not proven to directly control the project.
Exploring New Digital Frontiers in Sports
On the other hand, looking at the stars in the world of football, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to collaborate with Binance even though he was previously involved in a lawsuit. In May 2024, he launched a fourth NFT collection celebrating his football career, from childhood to his glory days.
Not only that, FIFA even got involved through the game “FIFA Rivals” which was announced in November 2024 with Mythical Games. The game is scheduled to arrive in the summer of 2025 for iOS and Android, offering a combination of football club management and NFT card trading.
Furthermore, the CNF has also previously reported the use of NFTs in legal cases in Brazil. A court authorized the summons of an unknown crypto fraud defendant via NFT. Just imagine if this practice becomes more widespread, perhaps one day even traffic tickets will be sent via blockchain.
Shaq’s case could be a reminder that while the digital world promises opportunities, there are still legal lines that should not be underestimated. Popularity is not a guarantee of being risk-free.
