"I'm still gonna love her": Shaquille O’Neal reflects on calling Shaunie his “wife” years after their divorce

Shaquille O'Neal has never shied away from talking about his personal relationships. Even years after retirement, the NBA legend continues to surprise not just with his basketball talent but also with how openly he talks about his past relationships. Even at an age where most people would try to protect their integrity and image in the public eye, O'Neal chooses to speak with honesty. In a throwback moment, Shaquille O'Neal referred to his ex-wife as his “wife”, which led to an online discussion. For some, it felt confusing, however, many thought it was a nice gesture for him to still be calling her his wife, even years after their divorce, reflecting a sense of attachment he still feels towards her. Shaquille O'Neal married Shaunie Nelson in December 2002, when he was at the peak of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers. At the time, he was one of the most dominant players in the league. welcomed four children together - Shareef, Amirah, Shaqir, and Me’Arah, during the course of their marriage. Despite sharing a beautiful life together, the marriage faced several challenges. The couple separated several times before officially getting divorced in 2011. Thereafter, Shaunie remarried in 2022 to Keion Henderson. However, O'Neal never spoke with bitterness about it. Instead, in 2023, O’Neal opened up on MoTalk with Monica’s pilot episode: "I tell my sons all the time, a man has three jobs when it comes to a woman: protect, provide, and love. Shaunie's married. I'm happy for her…I'm still gonna love her. She's still my wife”, Shaq said. Long before his marriage to Shaunie, Shaq was in a relationship with Arnetta Yardbourgh, with whom he shares a daughter named Taahirah. When speaking about both the women, Shaq has always shown support towards the mothers of his children, regardless of their relationship status."I'm going to always be there for them," he said. "They want to get married and find people better than me, I understand that. I accept that, Shaq added. What sets Shaq apart from others is how he looks at divorce. For him, as he has always said, love doesn't disappear just because marriage ends. It doesn't change when a relationship comes to an end. He has often said that protecting is not about controlling but about respecting each other.