Shaquille O’Neal’s Former $2.75 Million Mansion, That Haunted Ex Shaunie, Makes News With Uncertain Fate

“Looking back, I don’t know that I was ever really in love with the man.” These words from Shaunie Henderson’s memoir spread like wildfire last year. It was her book, where she quoted her experience. But had to face a lot of trolls with his statement. But even Shaquille O’Neal came in support of his ex-wife with a cryptic post. Even though they split amicably and co-parent their children, some traumas in the book will always float for the two to navigate.

Upon relocating to Cleveland in 2009, Shaq rented the Glencairn Forest mansion—sending his family on to stay in Orlando until he settled in. With the move, something changed in the 4x NBA champion as per Henderson. “But when we got there, Shaquille asked us to stay in Orlando while he rented a house in Cleveland and got settled.” Shaunie called the situation “very strange” in her book. Her nightmares came true during the opening day, tip-off.

“I arrived at the house Shaquille had rented and was greeted by the housekeeper… who led me and the kids to the guest rooms. She kept saying, “The missus will be back soon,” and immediately I knew what was going on. This very kind housekeeper had met some other woman and been told that she was the lady of the house. I’m pretty sure she thought I was either a family member traveling with her kids or the nanny. I had come full circle; now I was Mary Poppins!” Their housekeeper greeted Henderson as ‘the missus,’ revealing Shaq’s overlap with another woman—Henderson’s breaking point.

“There was no conversation about what had happened with the housekeeper. When the kids and I got home on October 28, I called Shaquille and told him we were not moving to Cleveland.” It was the final straw that broke her trust. “That was it. That was the final straw. I hated my house. I hated the cars, I hated my bed, I hated my life…” Even Shaquille O’Neal has never denied stepping out of marriage boundaries.

“I was a serial cheater,” said Shaq. The mansion that Shaunie Henderson mentioned in her memoir is now up for sale. A 12,000-square-foot residence, located in the exclusive Glencairn Forest neighborhood between Cleveland and Akron. Now it is available for $2.75 million and was originally built in 2008. O’Neal paid $16,000/month in 2009–10, per listing agent David Ayers.

Shaquille O’Neal accepted his disloyalty and supported his ex-wife

Interestingly, Shaq’s views on infidelity have evolved since his divorce from Shaunie in 2011. After their split, they had a heart-to-heart conversation, where Shaq finally admitted why he’d been unfaithful. Shaunie recalls that during a late-session heart-to-heart—“a very honest and satisfying conversation”—Shaq made a startling admission: “What’s crazy is that cheating was an ego boost…It wasn’t even about me falling for someone. It was about getting away with it.” That frank exchange, Shaunie says, granted her the closure she needed.

O’Neal later elaborated that those infidelities weren’t driven by passion: “It wasn’t about love or attraction—it was about seeing if I could get away with it,” he told her, per Undefeated’s account. He acknowledged the damage his “ego boost” gave him no justification: “I appreciated his honesty about it,” Shaunie has written.

On May 8, 2024, Shaq took to Instagram in response to Shaunie’s Undefeated excerpts and posted: “I understand… I wouldn’t have been in love with me either. All love, Shaq.” That post—part apology, part affirmation, earned praise for its humility and support of his ex’s candor

On his January 2025 podcast, O’Neal admitted his actions nearly cost his family. That’s why the former couple is currently on amicable terms. Now divorced since 2011, the pair co-parent four children and maintain amicable terms.