Shaquille O’Neal has reinvented himself plenty of times over the years — NBA superstar, media personality, DJ, entrepreneur, candy mogul — and now it appears the Big Fella may be entering a brand-new chapter. After years of joking about permanent bachelorhood, Shaq is suddenly sounding… open.
Very open.
Over the past year, O’Neal has leaned hard into the “new year, new me” mindset, especially when it comes to relationships. In 2025, he playfully declared eternal solitude, laughed off dating rumors, and repeatedly joked that he was “married to himself” — sometimes claiming he had multiple fictional wives just for fun.
But something has changed.
During a recent visit to Houston, Shaq sat down with Fox 26’s Jade Flury for a candid conversation that touched on basketball, life, and — unexpectedly — love. Houston is notable territory for Shaq, as it’s where his ex-wife Shaunie Henderson now lives with her husband, Pastor Keion Henderson, while leading the Houston Lighthouse Church. Shaq himself has deep Texas ties, with roots in San Antonio and a residence in Dallas.
When Flury asked the 53-year-old Hall of Famer about his love life, Shaq initially leaned into his usual humor. But then came a surprising pivot.
“For once,” Shaq admitted, “I’d probably get married soon.”
That single sentence marked a noticeable shift from the guarded, joking tone he’s used for years when discussing romance. And when asked what he’s looking for this time around, the answer was pure Shaq — simple, honest, and grounded.
“Just want her to be nice,” he said. “Okay personality. That’s what matters. Just nice.”
No checklist. No unrealistic expectations. Just kindness, respect, and good energy.
Shaq even added that being overly picky is often where relationships go wrong. “You want somebody that’s gonna treat you with honor and respect,” he explained. “That’s it. ‘I want this, I want that’ never works out.”
In true Shaq fashion, he even tried to shoot his shot with Flury — unsuccessfully — but the moment stayed playful, not awkward. The Big Fella is clearly comfortable in his skin, and more importantly, comfortable with where he is emotionally.
Shaq was previously married to Shaunie (née Nelson) from 2002 to 2009, with their divorce finalized in 2011. Together, they co-parented five children, and Shaq is a proud father of six. Over the years, O’Neal has openly admitted he wasn’t the best husband, acknowledging his mistakes and expressing regret — a level of accountability he’s never shied away from.
Despite their separation, Shaq and Shaunie have consistently shown unity when it mattered most, especially during their son Shareef’s heart surgery in 2018. That maturity has remained a defining part of Shaq’s public evolution.
Their relationship briefly returned to headlines following Shaunie’s 2024 memoir Undefeated, where she shared difficult truths about their marriage. Shaq’s response was characteristically honest and disarming: “I understand. I wouldn’t have been in love with me either.”
Now, older, wiser, and far more self-aware, Shaquille O’Neal sounds less interested in perfection — and more interested in peace.
And that might be his most meaningful evolution yet.