Shaq Praises Ex-Wife Shaunie O'Neal, Blames Himself For Divorce: "It Was All Me"

BY Erika Marie 21.8K Views
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Shaq, Shaunie O'Neal
The pair split over a decade ago and have maintained a close friendship. Shaunie announced her engagement to Pastor Keion Henderson last year.

They have one of the healthiest co-parenting relationships in the entertainment industry and haven't been shy about speaking openly about the missteps that occurred during their marriage. Shaquille O'Neal and ex-wife Shaunie were married in 2002 and divorced in 2011, and in a recent chat with The Pivot Podcast, he admitted that the demise of the union was his fault.

"I've never talked about this, and I'm glad you guys asked because I don't mind talking about this, but I was bad," Shaq said. "She was awesome. She really was. It was all me."

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He didn't want to get into too much detail about what happened during the marriage's downturn because it has always been important to the Los Angeles Lakers icon to shelter their privacy. However, he did add, "I wasn't protecting her and protecting those vows."

"She did exactly what she was supposed to do and gave me beautiful kids, take care of the house, take care of the corporate stuff," he said. "It was just all me. Sometimes, when you make a lot of mistakes like that, you can't really come back from that."

 

In 2020, Shaunie began dating Pastor Keion Henderson and last year, the couple announced their engagement. Watch Shaq on The Pivot Podcast below.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.