Shaq and Hoopz

I guess 2011 is the year of the young tenders!!! Shaq O’Neal was spotted outside of Dave Letterman show in a full on smoochfest with his girlfriend Nicole Alexander aka “Hoopz”.

Shaq and Hoopz

This is too funny.

Shaunie O'neal

Shaunie O’Neal has finally decided to open up about her divorce from Shaq in the latest issue of Essence.  During the interview Shaunie spilled the beans as she puts the blame for her failed marriage on the Miami groupies.

Drop for details:

Miami is a great city. It just wasn’t a great city for our marriage. I know they say L.A. has its groupies, but Miami has a different mentality. Even going to the games, the whole environment is so different. Girls are practically sitting in their bra and panties in the arena. When you’re trying to keep your husband, that’s a lot to take. It was a whole new lifestyle I wasn’t ready for. Apparently we didn’t have a strong enough foundation for Shaq to withstand that type of temptation.

Shaunie on confronting Shaq about cheating:

He would deny it sometimes, and other times he would ask, ‘You got pictures? Video? If not, don’t come at me because you have no proof.’ “He’d say, ‘Okay, you’re mad. Now what? You’re not going anywhere.

On being accused of cheating on Shaq with her personal trainer:

I worked out at home- with my trainer, my sister, her husband and my girlfriend. I was a good girl. I wouldn’t even entertain a man flirting with me. I was that conservative. But when those rumors came out, I felt I was so small and Shaq was so big that it didn’t matter what I said; nobody was going to believe me. All I was thinking was, How could this happen to me? I had no idea how I was going to pick up the pieces. I was just done.

Shaunie on the state of her relationship with Shaq today:

We are becoming friends, and it’s nice because it’s something we really lacked in our marriage. I enjoy being able to talk openly to him, and I think we both learned a lot from each other during this time.

Source

Basketball Wives

“Basketball wives” will air on VH1 and is an eight-episode half-hour series chronicling the lives of wives, girlfriends  and baby mama's of NBA players Udonis Haslem, Eric Williams, Antoine Walker, Jermaine O’Neal, and of course, Shaquille O’Neal.  The show is the brainchild of now ex-NBA wife Shaunie O'neal. 

“This series will show viewers not only the glamorous side of being a celebrity wife,” said VH1’s executive vice president of programming Jeff Olde, “but also the challenges and hard work that go with it."  (Yeah Right!!!)

The cast of basketball wives includes Royce Reed, a former dancer for the Orlando Magic who has a son with, Dwight Howard, Mesha O’Neal, wife of Miami Heat center Jermaine O’Neal, Evelyn Lozada (ex-fiancé of Antoine Walker) and Faith Rain (Udonis Haslem’s girlfriend).  Source

“Basketball Wives” premieres Mar. 15 on VH1.  Are you ready?

According to TMZ, Shaquille O'Neal and his estranged wife, Shaunie have reached a settlement in their divorce.
Shaunie's mega-lawyer, Sorrell Trope, tells TMZ Shaq and Shaunie have reached agreement on all terms of the divorce, including property, custody and support.

Under the agreement, the Florida courts will have jurisdiction to officially divorce the couple. In addition, a Florida judge will handle any issues that may arise involving property division and spousal support.

Trope tells TMZ the California courts will have jurisdiction over any issues related to child custody.

In 2009, Shaunie filed for legal separation in California in November, just days after moving to L.A. with their kids. We've learned Shaunie just filed a petition to dismiss the separation action.  Okay Shaunie, what's up??? Are you in this marriage or not!!  Pick one and run with it.

Shaunie's  new reality show on VH1 is called “Basketball Wives,”premieres on Sunday, April 11th at 10PM ET/PT.

Source

News: Miami Heat forward Dorell Wright was arrested in Miami Beach early this morning after cops say he was driving his 2005 Bentley under the influence of alcohol. TMZ

Kobe Bryant covers the pages of the March GQ magazine.  We're loving his look too.

Check out a snippet of his interview as he talks about his family:

On my right arm: It’s a permanent roster of his team, his home team. The names of his two daughters—Natalia, 7, Gianna, 3—are tattooed on the forearm. The name of his wife, Vanessa, is inscribed below the bulging deltoid.

They met in 1999. He was a global superstar working on a rap album, never to be released, and she was a high school student dancing in a rap video. They were engaged quickly, over the strenuous objections of his parents, who didn’t attend the wedding in April 2001. Most reports said the Bryants thought Vanessa too young. Whatever the cause, there was an ugly split—which has apparently healed, because Bryant says he and his parents are tight: “I talked to my mom today.”

A staple at Staples Center, Vanessa has become one of the most visible women in the nation’s most visibility-conscious city, but she seldom speaks to reporters, and Bryant discusses her with clipped, protective answers. Though their marriage has been tested—by infidelity, by gossip—he says it’s strong. Asked to name his best friends, he names her first. “We’re close,” he says. “We’re like homeys.”

Read More HERE

“All Star Comedy Jam" is a Showtime series of specials, produced by Codeblack Entertainment and executive produced by Shaquille O’Neal, that features some of today’s hottest urban comics. The first installment, shot in Phoenix the night before the 2009 NBA All-Star Game with hosts Shaquille O’Neal and headliner Cedric “The Entertainer,” aired on Showtime in June 2009 with a corresponding DVD release in September.

“We have been thrilled with the success of the first All Star Comedy Jam and are pleased to announce the next installment of the special,” said Jeff Clanagan, President of Codeblack Entertainment. “This franchise is committed to showcasing the legends of the comedy business while giving an opportunity for up-and-coming comedians to shine.”

The DVD of “Shaquille O’Neal Presents: All Star Comedy Jam” will be available on February 2, 2010 at all major retailers and online at http://www.codeblack.com/. A third installment of the franchise will be filmed at the 2010 NBA All-Star Game in Dallas with an airdate later in the year.

Here's a list of who else attended the party:

James and his girlfriend Savannah Brinson, who wore an elegant black dress, arrived shortly before midnight. James’ likeness was splashed across flat screens that were scattered throughout the room. Two huge sculptures with “25″ were at center stage.

Not only was it a local Who’s Who affair, but sports and music celebrities from around the country attended the all black-attire event.

Actor/rapper Drake and R&B singer Akon mingled amongst the crowd of about 500. Buffalo Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens and defensive back Donte Whitner were also seen.

Attorney Fred Nance, recently named as the Cleveland Browns general counsel, shared in James’ VIP section with the likes of Cleveland Cavaliers’ coach Mike Brown, players Shaquille O’Neal, Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, J.J. Hickson, Anderson Varejao, Jamario Moon and Danny Green.

The party was nice, but a present by Shaq to LeBron is even better as Shaq gave LeBron a $400,000 Rolls Royce Phantom.

Source

The Cleveland Cavaliers have reached an agreement in principle to acquire Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O’Neal(notes), multiple sources involved in the talks told Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday night.

Cleveland will send Ben Wallace(notes), Sasha Pavlovic(notes), the 46th pick in Thursday’s draft and cash to the Suns for O’Neal.

Kobe and the Lakers better squashed those thoughts of a repeat.