Shaquille O'Neal On Losing "Two Perfect Women" & Advising Sons To Avoid That

BYGabriel Bras NevaresPublished on June 25, 202313.3K Views

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 22: Shaquille O'Neal attends the 44th Annual Sports Emmy Awards at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 22, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

The basketball star, EDM producer, and DJ said that he's always willing to give his exes whatever they need.

Shaquille O'Neal is one of the most famous figures in the NBA world, whether for his time on or off the court. However, as magnanimous as his public image is, he's always shown himself to be a humbled and principled human being above all. Moreover, this seems to especially be the case with his previous romantic relationships, which he believes he fumbled. During a conversation with Monica on Mo Talk Radio, Shaq spoke on how he teaches his sons to avoid such mistakes when it comes to their personal lives. Overall, it was quite the emotive and sweet sentiment, despite the difficulty and animosity that can arise when a partnership comes to a close.

"I had two perfect women and I messed it up," Shaq expressed. "My first one was my baby mother, Arnetta [Yardbourgh], and then I met Shaunie [Nelson]. Shaunie was also a perfect woman and I messed it up. Yeah, you know, we were young and always just doing d*mb stuff. But, you know, the good thing about our relationship is that they forgave me and we have a good relationship now. But when you ask me about the perfect woman, I had two perfect women and I messed it up. Just by, you know, being d*mb.

Shaq's Advice To Sons Based On His Past Split Relationships

"I tell my sons all the time: 'A man has three jobs when it comes to a woman. Protect, provide, and love," Shaq continued. "Some men can only offer two, for whatever reason, but I'ma teach you how to offer all three.' And that's what I try to do. Even though I don't have a relationship with the women that I let get away, I will always PPL: protect, provide, and love.

"Whatever they need, they get it from me," he concluded. "Shaunie's married, I'm happy for her. I hope this gentleman treats her the way she's supposed to be treated, and I'ma still love her. She's still my wife, I will always protect, provide, and love for her, married or not. No, it's just how I was raised. You protect, you provide, and you love your woman." For more news and the latest updates on Shaq, log back into HNHH.

About The Author

Gabriel Bras Nevares

Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.