Shaquille and Shaunie O’Neal will always share a history together. The former couple dated and were married through much of his NBA career and share several children. As Shaunie has become a star in her own right, she has opened up over the years about how difficult their union was. Shaq, too has come to terms with how poorly he treated his ex-wife. Now happily married, Shaunie shares her thoughts on her ex and his journey to accountability.
Shaq’s basketball career is one for the history books. He played for almost two decades over six teams. For much of that time, he had Shaunie O’Neal in his corner as the mother of his children, wife, and business partner. They began dating when he joined the lakers in the late ’90s, welcoming their first child together in January 2000. The pair already had a child each, from a separate unions. In 2001 they welcomed their second child before marrying in 2002. By 2007 the couple was facing issues as Shaq filed for divorce. They called it off at one point, but by 2010 the pair seemed to be done with one another, and their divorce finalized.
Details about what transpired during their marriage have come out over the years, with Shaq admitting that he regrets the divorce and some of the things he put Shaunie through. He opened up last year, saying, “I had the perfect situation. My wife was finer than a mug, kept giving me babies, still finer than a mug.” While discussing the split with the Pivot Podcast, Shaq says he felt lost after losing his wife and children. He admits he was being greedy at the time and calls it a low point in his life.
Shaq was accused of cheating throughout the marriage, something he admitted in 2011. “I was a guy with too many options. Choosing to be with some of those women, well, that’s on me. In my mind, I never did it disrespectfully, but obviously, I shouldn’t have done it all.” Since things with Shaunie ended, Shaq has been tied to Hoopz from Flavor of Love, Trina, Dominica Westling, Laticia Rolle, Karrine Steffans, and Annie Llonzeh. He has currently been trying to shoot his shot at rapper GloRilla as well.
Shaunie has since moved on too, and in 2021 she got engaged to her boyfriend, Keion Handerson. She and the pastor have been dating for a while. She told People magazine about the proposal, calling it “magical.” “This was one of the most magical and special days of my life, being someone that had never officially been proposed to — like no down on one knee and asked ‘will you marry me’ moment,” she recalled. Shaq told the guys on Pivot Podcast how happy he was for her as well.
The former Mrs. O’Neal recently opened up about Shaq’s Pivot Podcast interview. She confessed to being happy that he came to terms with ruining their marriage but long removed from the pain of their split. “That was so long ago. I am in a new place in life. What he needs to share for his truth is his truth, and it is what it is,” she told Page Six.
Shaunie O’Neal married Keion Handerson last year and dropped the O’Neal last name. The Basketball Wives executive producer’s name is now Shaunie Handerson.
