Shaquille O’Neal said that he was to blame for his failing marriage to Shaunie O’Neal and that he did not honour the vows and commitments they made before their wedding.
Advertisement
Shaquille O’Neal’s professional basketball career spanned two decades and six NBA teams, earning him a place in the Hall of Fame. However, when it comes to his personal life, the 7-foot-1-inch center admitted to having “regrets,” notably the end of his seven-year marriage to Shaunie O’Neal, who has since remarried.
Shaq’s relationship with Shaunie began in the late 1990s after he joined the Los Angeles Lakers. According to the former professional athlete, the couple “had it all” throughout the years: an opulent Beverly Hills wedding, six children, and a 31,000-square-foot Florida mansion.
Shaq stated of his relationship with the Basketball Wives star, “I had the perfect setup.” However, the pair divorced twice: once in 2007 and again in 2009.
Shaq left the Orlando Magic after four years to join the Los Angeles Lakers. The contract not only netted him $120 million over seven years, but it also introduced him to his future wife, film marketer Shaunie Nelson.
Shaunie later confessed that Shaq was her first NBA boyfriend.
Shaquille O’Neal, who admitted to having regrets about his marriage, has opened up about his anger issues
While on the Pivot podcast, Shaquille O’Neal discussed his rage issues. In response to a fan query, ‘the Big Diesel’ said that he regrets some of the actions he took in the past out of rage. Shaq also underlined the necessity of not allowing personal grudges to interfere with family relationships.
In answer to a listener’s query, O’Neal discussed his anger control concerns. The admirer had asked him for suggestions for his 30-year-old self.
While discussing some of his regrets, he stated that he blamed himself for the separation and praised his ex-wife as “wonderful.”
“I’ve never talked about that before, and I’m delighted you asked because I don’t mind talking about it, but I was horrible,” he admitted. “She was great. She truly was. It was entirely my fault.”
While Shaq stated that he did not need to “speak about” what he did throughout the marriage, he did admit to not “respecting those commitments” made in it, heavily insinuating that he had extra-marital relations. This of course, led to a divorce that had him pay $100,000 in child support every month.
Shaq also acknowledged that he had found the perfect wife in Shaunie. However, due to his own inadequacies, he was unable to sustain a healthy relationship with her.
Also, read – “The Lakers literally cut their b*lls off”: Shaquille O’Neal’s hilarious jibe at the Anthony Davis trade
