“Shaq got a divorce, Michael Jordan got a divorce!” Ex-NBA star claims NBA wives are gold diggers and divorce after athlete’s retirement

Telfair was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the thirteenth overall pick of the 2004 NBA draft.

“Shaq got a divorce, Michael Jordan got a divorce!” Ex-NBA star claims NBA wives are gold diggers and divorce after athlete’s retirement

Shaquille O’Neal and Shaunie Henderson (Left) and Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy (via Open Source/X)

Sebastian Telfair, the former American professional basketball player with NBA experience, is back in the spotlight. This time, it is for his theories on the marital status and divorce rates among NBA players.

In a video, Sebastian Telfair is observed discussing legendary players such as Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal. Drawing from his own experiences, he emphasizes the need for NBA stars to exercise caution in choosing their life partners and sharing living spaces. Speaking on Vlad TV, Telfair said:

Dude’s gotta understand that the pretty girl that’s on the side of you right now, in that nice house, her energy will shift.
YouTube video

Furthermore, he said that 9 out of 10 times, the players will regret their decision to marry a “pretty girl” as it did not end well for those who married just for physical beauty. Telfair had a range of examples that he brought up:

Kevin Garnett got a divorce, Shaq got a divorce, Michael Jordan got a divorce.

However, he did mention one particular marriage that is different from the others. That was in the form of LeBron and Savannah James.

Them basketball players and everybody you see right now with them girls, them girls ain’t it. Now you still got that one. So, I don’t wanna discredit, maybe Savannah [James] is the one.
YouTube video

Telfair’s argument revolves around the financial challenges NBA players face during divorces, citing the example of the Chicago Bulls legend. He highlighted the significant financial impact, noting that the divorce at the time became the world’s costliest in terms of settlement amount.

Shaq concerned about ex-wife’s new memoir

Shaquille O’Neal and Shaunie Nelson entered matrimony on December 26, 2002, and their union brought forth four children: Shareef (born January 11, 2000), Amirah (born November 13, 2001), Shaqir (born April 19, 2003), and Me’arah (born May 1, 2006). However, the couple eventually divorced in 2011. Notably, Shaquille O’Neal’s former spouse, Shaunie Henderson, has announced the release of her upcoming memoir, “UNDEFEATED: Changing the Rules and Winning on My Own Terms,” scheduled for release this May.

Shaunie O'Neal and Shaquille O'Neal (Credits: Michael Caulfield/WireImag)
Shaunie O’Neal and Shaquille O’Neal (Credits: Michael Caulfield/WireImag)

Shortly after Shaunie shared her announcement, O’Neal playfully posted the book’s cover on his Instagram account, accompanied by the caption, “Uh oh naaa I’m just playing,” and extended his congratulations. Shaunie had in the past in an exclusive interview with The People said:

I didn't want to disrespect someone else's story, even if it was a part of mine, but as I get older and do more things in the entertainment industry, I found that people have a misconception of who I am.

Shaq blames himself for the failed marriage and says he made mistakes and claims that he was “greedy.” Hence, while merely joking, Shaunie’s book can be expected to shed light on a range of previously unknown stories about the two.

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