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Shaquille O’Neal finally addressed his ex-wife Shaunie Henderson’s comments about their nine-year marriage. The NBA legend posted a cryptic statement after Shaunie spoke about not being in love with him during their time together. Shaq has been quite open about the mistakes he made in his past marriage. However, this time, the retired athlete got emotional with his accountability, earning him praise from one of his children.
Shaquille O’Neal Says He Understands Why Ex Shaunie Wasn’t In Love
Shaquille and Shaunie’s marriage made headlines with the release of her memoir, UNDEFEATED: Changing The Rules and Winning on My Own Terms. In it, the Basketball Wives alum revealed their lavish lifestyle, not love, sustained their union for that long. “Looking back, I don’t know that I was ever really in love with the man, but I was in love with the idea of being married to the man I had a family with,” Shaunie wrote per TMZ.
She added, “I was in love with the idea of building a life together. I truly did enjoy spending time with him. [NBA] road trips allowed me to be with my husband and experience the NBA life for a little while.” However, despite the good times, they couldn’t make it work, especially with Shaquille’s infidelity.
Shaunie’s revelation seemed to get the attention of her famous ex-husband, Shaq. A day after the memoir’s release, Shaq took to Instagram to echo his response, writing, “I understand…I wouldn’t have been in love with me either. Wishing you all the best. All love, Shaq.” The statement which was written in a white text over a black screen was captioned, “Trust me I get it.”
Shareef O’Neal Is Proud Of His Father’s Post
What the Boston Celtics alum probably meant as a moment of vulnerability took the internet by storm. In no time, the post received over half a million likes with an outpouring of support from stars and fans. One notable comment was from Shaquille and Shaunie’s son Shareef, who wrote:
“Love you, man! You saved my life. Literally the most lovable and likable person on the planet.”
Shareef O’Neal
Several celebrities also shared their thoughts on the issue. Comedian Mike Hill wrote, “Growth! Who you were then isn’t indicative of who you are now AFTER the work. She’s probably grown too. FALLING in love is much different than LOVING someone.” Kenya Barris, the Black-ish creator, penned “Class Act.”ย
