‘I Hate It for My Husband’: Shaunie Feels Pity for Husband Pastor Keion Henderson Dealing with Rumors Surrounding Aftermath of Her Marriage to Shaquille O’Neal
Shaunie Henderson has set the record straight once and for all about the misleading articles claiming she traded a fortune of a divorce settlement for a second chance at love.
Multiple outlets allege that when she and retired NBA star Shaquille O’Neal reached an agreement in their divorce in 2010, she received $50,000 in child support and $200 million in spousal support. The former couple were married for seven years when she filed for a legal separation in 2009.
She and Shaq share five children, including Shaunie’s son from a previous relationship. The Diesel is also a father to a daughter, whom he shares with an ex-girlfriend prior to meeting his only wife. The “Basketball Wives” creator remarried in 2022 to Lighthouse megachurch Pastor Keion Henderson.
The pair hosted their annual Cry Out Conference in Houston, Texas, last month. As part of the event, they recorded a live episode of the “Dear Future Wifey” podcast with host Laterras R. Whitfield. About 39 minutes their discussion, they were asked about dealing with misleading headlines, such as those speculating about Shaunie’s financial standing.
“First of all, I don’t know where that came from. I didn’t get alimony; I got child support, and it wasn’t $50,000. It was better than that…People just lie on me. I don’t know why…I got receipts, OK,” she said. When asked about the toll the false narratives may have on her, she explained, “I think it bothers other people more than it bothers me, because I know who I am. I have the facts. Like I said, I have receipts, so it doesn’t’ bother me.”
She mentioned, “I’ve had a guy that got online and said that I was paying him to sleep with me. I don’t —I ’ve never seen that man in my life, like never in my life have I ever seen him. So I’m almost used to the lies. … Now I’m kind of numb to it. It’s unfortunate. I hate it for my husband though because that’s another thing, it’s like I feel bad because I came with this. … I feel horrible.”
Shaunie also revealed that in a portion of the audio version of her memoir, “Undefeated,” her voice sounds monotone because “I was in a sunken place that day ‘cause of that man getting online and saying that about me ‘cause all I was thinking about was my husband.”
Early this year, rapper Luce Cannon claimed he had a sexual relationship with her two weeks before her wedding. He alleged that he was gifted an expensive watch and money in return.
Shaunie said that Keion knew the claims were false, but still she carried the weight of the negative attention her name garnered. However, the former aspiring basketball player said he is unbothered by the salacious headlines.
Luce Cannon did an interview with No Jumper and alleged that he had a sexual relationship with Shaunie O’Neal. Luce claims Shaunie was his sugar mama and that he allegedly had sex with her two weeks before her marriage to Pastor Keion Henderson: pic.twitter.com/jBTnt53ipT
— Mílagro (@MobzWorld) January 22, 2024
Along with the sugar mama claims, the pair has received flak for Shaunie revealing that she was never in love with her ex-husband, as well as backlash from those critical of how they present themselves in church.
“I’m constantly encouraging her to believe [in] the best version about herself. Like I’m always telling her, ‘Don’t worry about these people. You used to didn’t know them. You were fine before they said it, you’ll be fine after,’” said Keion as he added that he leans heavily unto his belief in God and the scripture, Isaiah 54:17, that states, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.”
His marriage to Shaunie marks his first trip down the aisle. Like his wife, he too entered their union with a child of his own from a previous relationship.