Shaquille O’Neal is one of the nicest people in the world. The thing he cares about the most in the world is his kids. Big Diesel is especially close with his son Shareef O’Neal. He once claimed on The Big Podcast he would go on a killing spree for his kid. But, there was a time when they weren’t so close. And, as Shareef revealed in the HBO show Shaq, it was because of his mother, Shaunie.
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From 2002 to 2011, Shaq was married to Shaunie Nelson and had four children with her. Their relationship wasn’t perfect, but Myles, Shaqir, Me’Arah, Amirah, and of course, Shareef were reason enough to stay together. However, things reached a boiling point in 2007, and by 2011, they were divorced, putting the kids in an awkward position.
Shareef O’Neal was scared to hang out with Shaquille O’Neal because of his mother Shaunie
In 2011, Shaquille O’Neal finalized a very messy divorce with his ex-wife Shaunie. The two just couldn’t make things work, with Shaq’s infidelity proving to be the factor. Nevertheless, there was something good that came out of their relationship – their four children.
The Big Aristotle loves his kids and would do anything for them. But, after his divorce, his children felt like they were on thin ice. They were painfully aware of how bad things were between their parents, and they did not want to pick sides. And, more often than not, this made things difficult for them.
This was especially true for Shareef. As he revealed in his father’s HBO documentary, he was afraid to hang out with Shaq and initially kept his distance. Why? Because he was afraid of angering his mother.
“There was times when I didn’t know if I was supposed to talk to him because I didn’t want to make my mom mad or I didn’t want him to feel like we were abandoning him.”
Shaq and Shareef 🤣 pic.twitter.com/ICQNLPtH8F
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) August 1, 2022
Fortunately, all wounds heal over time and Shaq and Shaunie were able to become friends. A decision that greatly helped mend the growing gap between the Hall of Famer and his children.
Shaq was able to fix his relationship allowing him to get closer to his kids, whom he would kill for
Over time, Shaquille O’Neal and Shaunie were able to mend their relationship. They became good friends, and Shaunie even invited the big man to her wedding. But, more importantly, this allowed Shaq to stay close to his children, whom he loves dearly. He even admitted he would kill for them.
As he revealed in his podcast when Shareef had to undergo surgery, he was there by his side. He promised his son that he would be the first face he sees when he woke up and if he doesn’t, he would be following him as he would become the biggest serial killer ever.
“Bro when you wake up, I’m gonna be the first motherfu**er you see trust me. If you don’t wake up, I’m coming right behind you because I am killing everybody. I’m gonna be one of the biggest serial killers, and they’re gonna kill me. And we’re gonna be in heaven or hell together.”
The four-time NBA Champion truly cares for his children and as can be seen, would do anything for them. It truly is special the bond he shares with them and the lengths he would go for them.
