NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has once again opened up about the personal sacrifices he made during his basketball career, saying his pursuit of greatness came at a heavy cost.
Speaking with his son Shareef on Netflix’s “Post Moves,” the four-time NBA champion discussed the commitment required to succeed at the highest level.
“Are you ready to live that life? If you want to be great, my man, you gotta sacrifice everything. I’ve lost a family trying to be great,” O’Neal said.
The comment quickly gained attention online, with some fans questioning whether O’Neal was attributing the breakdown of his marriage to his basketball career.
His recent remarks contrast with comments he made in 2022, when he accepted responsibility for the end of his marriage to Shaunie Henderson.
“I wasn’t protecting [Shaunie] and protecting those vows,” O’Neal previously said. “Sometimes you live that double life and you get caught up in it.”
O’Neal and Henderson divorced in 2011 after nine years of marriage. Although his latest comments have sparked debate, the Hall of Famer has repeatedly expressed regret over how his personal life unfolded while pursuing success on the court.
Shaquille O’Neal’s strange excuse for why he ‘lost a family’ raises eyebrows https://t.co/TJqNRZVdGl pic.twitter.com/DzXPjEDu2s
— New York Post (@nypost) August 4, 2026
