{"id":328603,"date":"2025-12-27T08:33:03","date_gmt":"2025-12-27T13:33:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/aj-mclean-says-backstreet-boys-not-signing-with-shaq-was-right-decision"},"modified":"2025-12-27T08:33:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-27T13:33:06","slug":"aj-mclean-says-backstreet-boys-not-signing-with-shaq-was-right-decision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/aj-mclean-says-backstreet-boys-not-signing-with-shaq-was-right-decision","title":{"rendered":"AJ McLean Says Backstreet Boys Not Signing With Shaq Was &#8216;Proper Choice&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<h2 class=\"article__header--headline-fragments\">\n             <span class=\"article__header--hf1 text-uppercase h3\">AJ McLean<\/span><br \/>\n             <span class=\"article__header--hf2 text-uppercase h1\">BSB Was Better Off Without Shaq<\/span><br \/>\n             <span class=\"article__header--hf3 text-titlecase h2\">&#8230; Love The Big Fella, Though!!!<\/span><br \/>\n           <\/h2>\n<p>    <!--\/.social-media-container--><\/p>\n<p>\n                                    Published <time class=\"published-datetime\" datetime=\"2025-12-27T00:30:38-08:00\"><br \/>\n               December 27, 2025<br \/>\n              12:30 AM PST<\/time>\n                                      <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<section id=\"cb-927d3242aa50b19dd6ca56ba6401e003\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-video-block canvas-video-block-permalink canvas-video-block--default canvas-block-is-first \">\n<div class=\"video-block\">\n<div class=\"ratio ratio-16x9\">\n<div id=\"video-player-2055cb8b-435b-4ad8-b4a4-5fca8d9f5ad2-1091967706-image-holder\" class=\"ratio ratio-item video-block__image-holder\">\n     <button class=\"ratio-item icon-video--shadow video-block__icon\" id=\"video-player-2055cb8b-435b-4ad8-b4a4-5fca8d9f5ad2-1091967706-play-btn\"><br \/>\n      <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Play video content<\/span><br \/>\n     <\/button><br \/>\n          <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"AJ McLean\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/d5\/16by9\/2025\/12\/03\/d504534c3e684c66a0e6ad5b3715a46d_md.png\" alt=\"120325 aj mclean kal\" width=\"728\" height=\"410\" class=\"img-fluid\"\/>\n         <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <span class=\"media-credit video-block__media-credit\">TMZSports.com<\/span>\n     <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-927d3242aa50b19dd6ca56ba6401e003--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-afbda4b553357c3895edd358eee8764b\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>The Backstreet Boys made the &#8220;right decision&#8221; not signing with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/shaquille-oneal\/\"><strong>Shaquille O&#8217;Neal<\/strong><\/a> back in the day &#8230; so says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/aj-mclean\/\"><strong>AJ McLean<\/strong><\/a>, who tells <strong>TMZ Sports<\/strong> while he adores the NBA legend &#8212; he doubts they&#8217;d have the same success had they inked a deal with him.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-afbda4b553357c3895edd358eee8764b--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-85b3a75d27396a29e1cc5f43940f6a53\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>It&#8217;s a wild story, but 100% true &#8212; both BSB and *NSYNC used Shaq&#8217;s Orlando studio to record some of their earliest music when he was a member of the Magic in the &#8217;90s &#8230; and O&#8217;Neal has openly expressed his regret over not pouncing on the opportunity to work with the boy bands in an official capacity.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-85b3a75d27396a29e1cc5f43940f6a53--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-93fe1cd164af39f81364325146f1822d\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-gallery-block canvas-gallery-block-permalink canvas-gallery-block--default \">\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-93fe1cd164af39f81364325146f1822d--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-52dbc3bf47c822c21e8ee3ce28f25273\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>We caught up with AJ recently &#8230; and asked a good ol&#8217; &#8220;what if?&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-52dbc3bf47c822c21e8ee3ce28f25273--><br \/>\n<a id=\"continued\" class=\"continued-anchor\"\/><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-f5aa8a29fc2fd231f63f5587d0e077d9\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>Safe to say both groups did just fine &#8230; and AJ wondered how things would have looked had they joined forces with the Hall of Famer &#8212; and if they&#8217;d still be one of the most iconic groups to ever grab the mic.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-f5aa8a29fc2fd231f63f5587d0e077d9--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-4aec9cdd85d9041a37c5c232b62e97bb\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-video-block canvas-video-block-permalink canvas-video-block--default \">\n<div class=\"video-block\">\n<div class=\"ratio ratio-16x9\">\n<div id=\"video-player-26ec6c68-a944-5700-99ed-3880bc233e92-1296011408-image-holder\" class=\"ratio ratio-item video-block__image-holder\">\n     <button class=\"ratio-item icon-video--shadow video-block__icon\" id=\"video-player-26ec6c68-a944-5700-99ed-3880bc233e92-1296011408-play-btn\"><br \/>\n      <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Play video content<\/span><br \/>\n     <\/button><br \/>\n          <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/b5\/16by9\/2020\/01\/16\/b5a754ede11d5453b88e854ceffbafcf_md.jpg\" alt=\"Shaq's decision to pass on signing 'NSYNC after helping the boy band get off the ground is still tearing up Lance Bass' heart -- but he says there still would've been one major issue.\" width=\"728\" height=\"410\" class=\"img-fluid\"\/>\n         <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <span class=\"media-credit video-block__media-credit\">TMZ.com<\/span>\n     <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-4aec9cdd85d9041a37c5c232b62e97bb--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-289405d1eed886f10640b18b007da02c\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>&#8220;No disrespect to Shaq, because I love him to death, but don&#8217;t think we&#8217;d be where we are today necessarily,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-289405d1eed886f10640b18b007da02c--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-bbcf69433c3fade772dd540c4189ccd4\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>AJ noted everything Shaq touches turns to gold off the court, as the big man&#8217;s got an extensive and lucrative business portfolio &#8230; but this is one that all worked out in the end.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-bbcf69433c3fade772dd540c4189ccd4--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-c3489fe1b236d0ed858a377c20ae3f27\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-gallery-block canvas-gallery-block-permalink canvas-gallery-block--default \">\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-c3489fe1b236d0ed858a377c20ae3f27--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-c2e211b0afe0621b12d1ba783ee8fb1a\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>&#8220;I think we might have made the right decision,&#8221; AJ added.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-c2e211b0afe0621b12d1ba783ee8fb1a--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-7a65a3426b7f9405b2e176b01be0c9e9\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>It&#8217;s interesting &#8230; &#8217;cause *NSYNC member <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/lance-bass\/\"><strong>Lance Bass<\/strong><\/a> told us a few years back he wishes Shaq would&#8217;ve been part of their team &#8230; even though he wouldn&#8217;t have been able to box out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/lou-pearlman\/\"><strong>Lou Pearlman<\/strong><\/a> entirely.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-7a65a3426b7f9405b2e176b01be0c9e9--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-3cabf1939b9e093d4748f4b8b12e7ae8\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default canvas-block-is-last \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>But considering BSB is STILL selling out shows left and right &#8230; yeah, they&#8217;re good.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-3cabf1939b9e093d4748f4b8b12e7ae8--><\/p><\/div>\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2025\/12\/27\/aj-mclean-says-shaquille-oneal-not-signing-backstreet-boys-right-decision\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>AJ McLean BSB Was Better Off Without Shaq &#8230; Love The Big Fella, Though!!! Published December 27, 2025 12:30 AM PST Play video content TMZSports.com [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[699,694,695,3996,97,94,144,5923,5922,973],"class_list":["post-328603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-aj-mclean","tag-backstreet-boys","tag-lou-pearlman","tag-magic","tag-national-basketball-association","tag-nba","tag-pop-ballads","tag-shaqs-orlando-studio","tag-shaquille-oneal","tag-the-nba"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=328603"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328603\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":328605,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328603\/revisions\/328605"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=328603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=328603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=328603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}