Why Shaquille O’Neal’s Ex-Wife Shaunie Henderson Refused Divorce Money Despite Her Lawyer’s Advice
Shaquille O’Neal‘s name has been landing in the headlines with some famous women.
He recently had to clear up rumors that he sent explicit and romantic DMs to pop singer Sabrina Carpenter. Shaq called the viral screenshots fake and “photoshopped,” joking on his podcast that he has “way more game than that.” Months earlier, the NBA Hall of Famer debunked claims that he was dating OnlyFans star Sophie Rain, and before that, Shaq denied that he was trying to shoot his shot with rapper Megan Thee Stallion.
But one woman Big Diesel has shared the most headlines with over the years is his ex-wife, Shaunie Henderson. Now some fans are looking back on their relationship and divorce. And something that has surprised a lot of people is their settlement, as Henderson didn’t want any money and explained her reason for that.
Shaq and Henderson were married on Dec. 26, 2002 after several years of dating. They have four children together: sons Shareef and Shaqir, and daughters Amirah and Me’arah.
In September 2007, O’Neal filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, but he later withdrew the petition as they attempted to reconcile. However, their relationship ultimately ended, this time with Henderson filing for divorce in November 2009. Their divorce was finalized in 2011.
“Despite my lawyers’ advice, I didn’t want anything from Shaquille. I just wanted out,” Henderson wrote in her bestselling memoir UNDEFEATED: Changing the Rules and Winning on My Own Terms. “I kept telling him, ‘You don’t have to give me anything, just take care of the kids.’
“Of course, he was legally bound to take financial responsibility for the kids, which he did, but outside of that, all I wanted was my car, which was in my name. The only other thing I wanted was peace of mind. I was hungry for it. I just wanted to live honestly and without lies or self-deception.”
Elsewhere in the book, Henderson questions whether she was ever really in love with her husband of nine years or if she was just in love with the idea of being married to the man she had started a family with.
Shaq later responded to what his ex-wife said via his Instagram writing, “I get it. I wouldn’t have been in love with me either.” He doubled down, captioning it, “Trust me I get it.”
Shaq has taken responsibility for the divorce, citing his infidelity and behavior during their marriage as the reason things ended. In his own memoir, Shaq Uncut: My Story, he made no excuses for his actions at the time.
Despite their split, both have spoken publicly about maintaining mutual respect and co-parenting their children. Over time they moved forward separately, with Henderson developing a career in television production, most notably with Basketball Wives, while Shaq continued working in sports media and began a DJ career.
