Shaquille O'Neal might seem like he has it all – a $500 million net worth, a mansion so big you could get lost in it and a name that's practically a synonym for basketball greatness. But if you ask Shaq, he'd tell you himself – he messed up and knows it.
In a moment of rare vulnerability on The Pivot Podcast in 2022, Shaq opened up about his 2011 divorce from Shaunie O'Neal, admitting that the blame was squarely on him. "I was just being greedy," he said plainly. "I had the perfect situation. My wife was finer than a mug, kept giving me babies, still finer than a mug. I had it all and I don't make excuses. I know I messed up."
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It wasn't just the marriage he lost – it was the life that came with it. The man who once loved coming home to five or six voices yelling "Dogman is home!" found himself alone in a 76,000-square-foot mansion that suddenly felt more like an echo chamber than a home. "Seventy-six thousand square foot house by yourself, lost. No kids. Go to the gym, nobody's playing in the gym. You go to their room, nobody's there. You start to feel it," he shared.
The house, which Shaq eventually sold for $11 million after initially listing it at $26 million, was as extravagant as you'd imagine. With a private basketball court, a movie theater, a massive pool and 12 bedrooms, it was a dream home for a larger-than-life personality. In his memoir, Shaq Uncut, he even joked about calling it "Disney World" when welcoming friends – a fitting nickname considering the mansion's location in Windermere, Florida, just a stone's throw from the actual Disney parks.
But as Shaq learned, even the grandest "Disney World" can lose its magic when you're all alone there. Despite the amenities, despite the space, the house became an empty shell after his divorce.
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Even though his kids might not live under his roof anymore, Shaq has always clarified that they're his top priority. Famous for telling them, "In order to get my cheese, you have to present me with two degrees," he's a firm believer in hard work, even for his kids. While they might not be growing up like he did, he's still determined to teach them the value of earning their way.
Looking back, Shaq isn't afraid to admit where he went wrong and he's made it a point to share what he's learned. On The Big Podcast with Shaq, he warned NFL star Travis Kelce about the importance of family. "Enjoy your family, brother. I made a lot of dumbass mistakes to where I lost my family and I didn't have anybody."
Shaq may be larger than life, but he's the first to tell you that even when you're living in a mansion, the people in it make it feel like home. And if there's one thing he's learned, it's that no amount of money, rings or mansions can replace that.
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