Shaquille O’Neal has responded to a book excerpt in which his ex-wife Shaunie Henderson admits she never would have been in love with the NBA legend.
Henderson, now 49, who created the VH1 “Basketball Wives” series, released a book this week titled “Undefeated: Changing the Rules and Winning on My Own Terms.”
O’Neal, 52, who is now an NBA studio analyst for TNT, responded to what Henderson wrote about their marriage in her book in a post on Instagram.
“I understand,” O’Neill wrote.
“Even I would not have loved me. wishing you all the best. Love to all, Shaq.”
He added, “Trust me, I get it.”
The couple married in 2002 and divorced in 2011.
“I enjoyed those sweet early years of being a mother and raising my children; My days were always busy with kids and family, and occasionally I had a chance to travel or enjoy a little of the NBA high life. But invisibly, my marriage was beginning to fall apart,” Henderson, now 49, wrote.
“As I wrote, it was not clear in the beginning. Do you know how when you fall sick for the first time and the symptoms are so mild that you don’t even realize you are sick? Things were like this in the early years. I was busy and happy and not paying attention to what was happening. “But as the disease progressed, the symptoms became difficult to ignore.”
The couple have four children – sons Sharif and Shakir and daughters Amira and Mira – while O’Neal has a daughter, Tahira, from a previous relationship, and Henderson has a son, Miles, from a previous relationship.
Henderson wrote that O’Neill had a habit of “missing” and suspected him of infidelity.
Henderson wrote, “Looking back, I don’t know that I ever really loved the man, but I loved the idea of marrying a man with whom I had a family.”
“I liked the idea of spending a life together. I really enjoyed spending time with him. The (NBA) road trip gave me a chance to be with my husband and experience the NBA life for a while.
Last June, O’Neill admitted that he had proved weak as a husband.
“I had two perfect women and I messed it up,” Shaq told singer Monica on her podcast.
“My first mom was my baby Arnetta (Yardberg), 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 did stupid things. But, the good thing about our relationship is that he forgave me and now we have a good relationship. But when you ask me about the ideal woman – I had two ideal women and I messed it up, you know, by acting stupid.”
He reiterated the advice he gave his sons about relationships.
“The first thing you have to be honest is to be honest, honest with yourself and honest with your partner… I always tell my sons, a man has three jobs when it comes to a woman. Protect, provide and love,” O’Neill added.
“Some men can only offer two, for whatever reason, but I will teach you how to offer all three. And that’s what I try to do – and even if I don’t have a relationship with the women I let go, I will always ppl: protect, provide and love, get whatever they need from me.
