“Basketball Wives” star and executive producer Shaunie O’Neal is currently the topic of conversation on social media.
O’Neal began trending on Twitter after someone posted a photo of her government name, Va’Shaundya Karlette Nelson, which was apparently a shock to many.
Folks began responding to the news via Twitter.
“Lmfaooo the ghetto i’m not surprised 😂. And she acts just like that name 🗣️”
“y’all calling Shaunie by her govt name of Va’Shaundya or by Nostrils kills me everytime.”
“How in the f–k do you pronounce that s–t?! It look like a bunch of random letters and a apostrophe. So ghetto 🍵”
Although O’Neal has yet to respond to naysayers who mocked her moniker, her fans surely have jumped to her defense.
“Shiidd who cares what her name is, she’s still getting paid. So what she shortened her name it’s not a big deal 🙄”
“And your point? Yall can just call her Rich and Wealthy for short tho clowns. Don’t try to play her name. She still a boss”
O’Neal is known as the ex-wife of former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal.
The former couple tied the knot in December 2002 and their divorce was finalized in 2009. They share four children together, including Shareef O’Neal, 20, Amirah O’Neal, 18, Shaqir O’Neal, 16, and Me’arah O’Neal, 13.
Although the two don’t plan on reconciling their marriage, they do have a great co-parenting relationship. The “BBW” star said they did experience some issues at first.
“We’re great now but it took a long time, like we definitely did not have the relationship that we have now the first few years,” the mother of four told Life & Style in May 2018. “I mean, we’re going on eight years of being divorced now and I’d have to say the good first five [or] six were really rough. We could function, but it was rough. Now I think we just got over the hump and I’ve always kind of been [like], ‘What’s best for the kids,’ and I’ll make it happen no matter what. Even if he and I can’t see eye to eye, I didn’t want them to ever be affected by it and I think he felt the same way. But it was really really hard.”
The pair also have a close friendship which has led folks to urge them to give their love another try. Shaunie doesn’t see that happening anytime soon.
“People are always like, oh you guys should get back together — no, that’s not happening,” she said. ” We just are cool and we can function and we respect each other’s space and it’s good.”
