How MTV Cribs Became the Launch Pad for Shaquille O’Neal’s Ex-Wife Shaunie’s TV Career

Shaunie Henderson’s 2022 book Undefeated caused quite a stir after its release because it recorded in detail the incidents that led up to her infamous divorce from NBA superstar, Shaquille O’Neal. The book, however, deals with other underrated aspects of Shaunie’s life as well—for instance, her stint in reality television.

The 49-year-old is well-known for creating the popular show Basketball Wives, which still airs on VH1. However, Shaunie never purposefully pursued a career in TV. It all started when MTV Cribs came to film a segment in Shaq’s house in Orlando and Shaunie had to play the part of hostess to give the film crew a tour of the mansion.

The producers of the show loved the house, but they also took a liking to her presenting skills. “Have you ever thought about doing TV? You speak so well, and you have this great personality and presence,” one of the producers told Shaunie.

She didn’t think much of it at the time, but word got around quickly in town that Shaunie had the talent to host live TV. Shaq was one of the most popular figures in Los Angeles at the time as the centerpiece of the Lakers. This afforded him lots of opportunities in Hollywood and in the entertainment world at large.

Soon, Shaunie also started getting opportunities being in that circle of stardom. An executive producer from Access Hollywood approached her for a meeting after he heard about her camera presence from the MTV producers. He asked Shaunie to host some of Access Hollywood‘s sports segments. This time she agreed.

More opportunities followed soon. Then Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss’ daughter, Jeanie Buss (who is the Lakers’ owner at the moment), asked her to host a half-time show for the team at Fox. Shaunie was now slowly getting accustomed in front of the camera and starting to figure out the inner workings of the Entertainment business.

This experience would help her to create Basketball Wives in the future. However, the show was not just a creative undertaking for Shaunie, it was also a means to secure her future as her marriage with Shaq started to fall apart pretty quickly at the time.

“One of my greatest sources of pride is creating Basketball Wives and producing the show for more than ten years. It’s changed my life…But the idea for the original show, and my passion to make it happen, came out of a darker place: my fear that I would not be able to be financially independent after my divorce,” Shaunie wrote in Undefeated.

The first season of Basketball Wives (Miami) aired in April of 2010 and soon became widely popular. Just a year later, the show had a spin-off, Basketball Wives LA, which is in air to this day.

Basketball Wives (Miami) would end in 2013, but it would create many other spin-off shows like, Basketball Wives Orlando, Shaunie’s Homecourt, Football Wives, Baseball Wives, Baller Wives etc.

By the time all was said and done, Shaunie was already one of the most experienced producers in the industry. Her experience in TV still fuels her media presence to this day, even though Mrs. Henderson has chosen a slightly different path after her marriage with Pastor Keion Henderson.