Shaunie Henderson opened up about her lavish party life as an NBA wife in her memoir, “Undefeated”. She reflected on how this lifestyle resulted in her developing a lifelong connection with Gary Payton and his family. The situation circled Payton and Bryon Russell’s move to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2003.
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Shaunie was keen to make a strong impression on her ex-husband’s former teammates and their families. As a result, she hosted a welcome party for the NBA stars at their Beverly Hills home. Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-wife arranged two separate menus for adults and one for the kids. The party also featured music and cocktails, to add to its lavish atmosphere.
Her efforts paid off. Payton‘s wife, Monique, expressed her gratitude for the party shortly after. The two soon became close friends. This deepened Shaunie’s bond with the Payton family, including Gary’s children.
Their relationship grew into a lifelong bond by 2021. After GP’s daughter Raquel gave birth to her oldest son, Jacoby, the Paytons asked Shaunie and her current husband, Keion, to be his godparents. The Hendersons graciously accepted. In Shaunie’s words,
“Later, Gary’s wife, Monique, thanked me for making them feel so welcome. She’s one of my closest friends to this day; her adult kids still call me “Auntie,” and her grandson, Jacoby, is Keion’s and my godson.”
Since then, Shaunie has always made time to celebrate Jacoby. For instance, she shared a heartfelt Instagram post on his second birthday last year. It captured the toddler shooting a rubber basketball around the house, with Shaunie cheering him on. She captioned the post,
“EVERYBODY wish my Godson Jacoby Deuce a VERY HAPPY 2nd Birthday!!! He’s amazing, unbelievably great and pretty perfect! I love you Jaaaaaaccccoooobbbbbbyyyy!!”
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This points to how lifelong bonds can form in the most unexpected circumstances of life.
