Marie Temara, a content creator with millions of online followers, has claimed that two of the NBA’s biggest names, Shaquille O’Neal and Kevin Durant, have contacted her through direct messages.
Temara, who has built her career around her unusual height and family background, said the interactions were unexpected given that she once looked up to both players as idols.
According to Temara, Durant‘s inquiry was direct and centered on her physical stature. She said he simply asked her how tall she was.
Temara also asserted that O’Neal had reached out to her on more than one occasion. While she described the messages as light in tone, she emphasized that the recognition itself was significant, as both men were stars she admired growing up.
Temara markets herself as being seven feet tall, though online commentators have frequently challenged that claim, suggesting she is closer to 6 feet 3 inches. The debate over her exact height has not deterred her from making it a central theme of her personal brand.
The attention she has attracted is not limited to professional athletes. Temara also recounted an interaction with rapper Lil Jon.
She explained that he once praised what he believed was a video of her dunking a basketball, only to discover the footage actually featured her brother. Temara said she was pleased that her content had been noticed, even if the recognition came through a misunderstanding.
Turning height into a business model
Temara‘s rise in digital media has been swift. She has amassed more than three million Instagram followers and has used OnlyFans as her primary revenue stream, reportedly earning around $10 million to date.
Her videos often highlight the challenges associated with being taller than most people, navigating low ceilings, fitting into compact vehicles, or moving through spaces not designed for her stature.
Her family has become part of this narrative. Temara‘s younger brothers, Shane and Troy, are 6 feet 9 inches and 6 feet 10 inches tall, respectively.
Both have developed followings of their own and appear in collaborative content. Shane is said to generate an annual income of roughly $100,000 through online activity, while Troy earns about half that amount.
Temara has noted that her brothers were enthusiastic when they learned about her contact with NBA players, remarking that they seemed even more impressed than she was.
Before pursuing content creation full-time, Temara worked in accounting, where she reportedly earned about $100,000 annually.
Four years ago, she decided to leave that profession to focus on building a presence online. That decision has since transformed into a profitable enterprise, with her height and family dynamic serving as the foundation of her appeal.
In a separate development, O’Neal has recently spoken publicly about his struggles with painkiller use during his NBA career. In a podcast appearance, the former Los Angeles Lakers center acknowledged that he kept the issue hidden from his family while he was playing.
Temara’s disclosures about messages from high-profile athletes and celebrities continue to fuel discussion on social media, underscoring how her unusual image and entrepreneurial choices have combined to establish a prominent online brand.
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