Shaquille O’Neal is not closing the door on marriage. In fact, he is putting a timeline on it.
During a recent appearance on the ExpediTIously podcast, the Hall of Famer was asked whether he sees himself getting remarried. Shaq did not hesitate.
“Yeah. Three years.”
That was the answer. Direct and confident. Then, in classic Shaq fashion, he turned the moment into comedy.
“Give me my phone. I’m going to tell you who I want to marry. Give me my phone. I ain’t going to call this person out. I ain’t going to show you nothing. This motherf***er so fine. I don’t know who it is. That motherf***er so fire right there.”
He even played a song on his phone, joking that he wanted to marry the woman behind the voice. The identity remains a mystery, but the message was clear. Shaq is open to love again, and this time he sounds more intentional about it.
The lighthearted moment came alongside a much more serious reflection. Shaq also opened up about the aftermath of his divorce from Shaunie Henderson and how it affected his relationship with his children. He admitted that for a period of time, his kids did not speak to him.
He acknowledged his own mistakes, saying he knows better than to be out here messing around. That self-awareness is significant, coming from someone who has built an empire through discipline, branding, and relentless business strategy.
Shaq has often discussed how his financial success is rooted in principles. He has spoken about the $20 rule he implemented at Papa John’s to make pricing more accessible, his refusal to endorse products he does not believe in, and his early dream of making eight million dollars a year for ten years. Those lessons translated into endorsement deals that reportedly generate more than $95 million annually.
But when it comes to family, he has been candid about shortcomings.
For Shaq, those chapters appear to have shaped how he views relationships now. He has repeatedly said he is teaching his sons to be better than him. He has expressed gratitude toward the mothers of his children for forgiving him. And he has acknowledged that growth is ongoing.
So when he says he would like to be married again in three years, it does not feel like a random remark. It sounds like someone who understands both the cost of getting it wrong and the value of getting it right.
Shaquille O’Neal has conquered basketball, built a business empire, and repaired strained family bonds. The next goal on his timeline may not involve championships or contracts. It may simply involve commitment.
