- Shaquille O’Neal posted a cryptic message on social media a day after his ex-wife, Shaunie Henderson, questioned her love for him in her memoir
- O’Neal wrote, “I understand” and said he “wouldn’t have been in love with me either” after his ex’s confession
- Their son, Shareef O’Neal, supported his father and called him the “sweetest” person “on the planet” in the post’s comments.
Shaquille O’Neal shared a somber message on Instagram following the release of his ex-wife Shaunie Henderson’s memoir, in which the Basketball Wives The star wondered if she was ever truly in love with the former NBA player.
In his memoirs, UNBEATEN: Change the rules and win on my own terms, Released May 7, Henderson, 49, wrote, “Looking back, I don’t know if I was ever truly in love with this man,” about O’Neal, whom she married in 2002.
During their relationship, which began in the late ’90s and ultimately ended in 2009 when Henderson filed for separation, the couple struggled with infidelity, which O’Neal admitted in his 2011 memoir, Shaq Uncut: My Story.
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Henderson explained in her memoir that she “was in love with the idea of being married to the man I had a family with” and “was in love with the idea of building a life together” during their marriage.
O’Neal and Henderson share four children: sons Shareef and Shaqir and daughters Amirah and Me’arah. They also both have a son, Myles, from Henderson’s previous relationship, and O’Neal has a daughter, Taahirah, with his former girlfriend Arnetta Yardbourgh.
The reality star shared that she “really loved spending time with” O’Neal, but because he was “trying to be a world-famous 30-something multi-millionaire with thousands of women throwing themselves on him”, at the same time he was “to be a husband and father”, their relationship finally dissolved.
On May 8, O’Neal took to Instagram to share a seemingly pointed message in response to Henderson. “I understand… I wouldn’t have been in love with me either. I wish you all the best. All my love, Shaq,” he wrote in white text on a black screen.
O’Neal captioned the post: “Trust me, I get it.”
The post received an outpouring of support for O’Neal in the comments, including thoughtful messages from his and Henderson’s son, Shareef.
Shareef, 24, wrote, “I love you man! You saved my life,” in a comment. In another, Shareef said: “Literally the sweetest, friendliest person on the planet! »
Blackish creator Kenya Barris wrote “Class Act” in the comments, while TV host Tamron Hall left a red heart emoji on the post and rapper Rick Ross commented a “100” emoji.
When Henderson announced her memoir in January, she told PEOPLE that she was “nervous” about disclosing details of her relationship with the NBA legend, but felt like she had need to clarify the public’s “misconception” about him.
“I was always afraid of sharing too much and telling my story that involved someone else,” Henderson explained. “I didn’t want to disrespect anyone else’s story, even if it was part of mine, but as I get older and do more things in the entertainment industry, I I discovered that people have a misconception about who I am.”
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Now married to pastor Keion Henderson, the mother of five explained: “Everything about Shaquille is always a blur because he is who he is, and despite our history, no one ever wants to hear what could appear false.
Henderson told PEOPLE that her ex-husband publicly admitting his infidelity during their marriage “made it easier for her to open up.” Unbeaten. “I was like, oh, okay, he thought,” she said.
“I’m literally telling my story and my journey, which he was a part of,” she continued. “So I’ve always been a little nervous about it, but I think I’ve done a good job of sharing my story without destroying it because that’s not my intention at all.”
