"I live in a 30,000 sq ft house by myself. You don't think I know I messed up?" - Shaquille O'Neal on accountability for family mistakes
- Shaquille O'Neal reflects on his past mistakes and the impact they had on his family, admitting that his biggest regret is "fu—ng over" his loved ones.
Shaquille O' Neal once had it all.
In many ways, he still does — from his Hall of Fame resume to the hundreds of millions of dollars he earned from his career and business ventures. But the NBA legend knows that there is only so much fame and fortune that can fulfill a person.
This is something O'Neal reflects on as he lives in his large, expensive mansion without his family. But, in an interview with Taylor Rooks in 2022, O'Neal said that he does not wallow in loneliness and regrets. He knows there is no use feeling his emotions when the reason he lost everything was because of his decisions.
So, in the bed he made, the NBA legend lies.
"When you're real, you realize when you mess up," he told Rooks. "I live in a 30,000-square-foot house by myself. You don't think I know I messed up?"
O'Neal was programmed not to cry
O'Neal has long been outspoken about his military upbringing in New Jersey, provided by his stepfather, drill sergeant Phillip Harrison. Growing up under his roof, he said he was not allowed to make the same mistake twice.
"Five o'clock, wake up, make your bed, flip the cord on the bed. If you didn't do it right, do it again. Rake the leaves, cut the grass. This is how you speak to people — respect," he recalled. "If I make a mistake and I have to apologize, I know never to say it again. I go right up here in the file and hit delete. It'll never happen again."
This type of parenting style ultimately programmed him not to cry, a mentality he carried into adulthood, where he went through the toughest personal challenges, from his divorce, breakups, to his rifts with his children.
However, he remained stoic because, as the man of the house responsible for providing for his large family and his former partners, there simply is no time to do so.
"When you're put in a certain position, you have to make sure everybody else is okay," he explained. " I have two lovely women I'm responsible for…I have six children I'm responsible for. I have a mother I'm responsible for. I've got one remaining brother, one remaining sister that I'm responsible for ."
Shaq's biggest mistake
O'Neal's divorce from his ex-wife, Shaunie Henderson, was finalized in 2011. He has not been linked to any serious partner, other than Arnetta Yardbourgh, with whom he has a daughter. These were the two "perfect" women he said he regrets losing .
But his biggest mistake was how all of his relationship troubles affected his children. Since their once-loving marriage ended, his relationship with his six children also had not been the same.
Reflecting on his three-pronged mantra — protect, provide and love — O'Neal admits he could've done the first thing better, especially for his daughters . He added that he is also teaching his children not to follow the same path he took .
"My biggest mistake is fu — ng over my family. I could really talk about that and be emotional about that, but not to the point where I'mma cry. I did it. It happened. We learn from it, and you know, we move on," he shared .
O'Neal has a net worth of about $500 million. His children have forgiven him for his past shortcomings and now have a solid bond with him, especially Shareef. Meanwhile, Henderson is married to a pastor.
Everyone is going about their lives, and the 54-year-old O'Neal is going about his while living in his big house — alone but still hoping to rebuild the love and trust that was lost.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
