Shaquille O’Neal is well known for his towering presence on the court and his larger-than-life personality off of it; but when it comes to discussing his children,
Shaq has a habit of keeping people guessing and he’s sticking to that again by refusing to say how many he has.
Shaquille O’Neal shows that his heart is bigger than his height with nice gesture for random people
Officially, the NBA legend is a father to six children, yet he often jokes that he may have more than the public knows about as the 53-year-old aims to keep his private life and public life firmly separated.
But here is the catch: the humorous personality of the former Los Angeles Laker means his cryptic responses leave many fans wondering whether there is any truth behind his playful remarks. So how many kids do we know he has?
First on the list is Taahirah O’Neal, who was born in 1996 from his previous relationship with Arnetta Yardbourgh. He then later had four more children, Shareef, Amirah, Shaqir, and Me’Arah, through his marriage with Shaunie Henderson.
He also became a stepfather and adoptive father to Myles, who is Shaunie’s son from a previous relationship,Shaq has embraced him as his own, raising him alongside his biological children.
Despite this widely accepted list, Shaq has frequently hinted that there may be more. His ambiguous statements fuel speculation, but whether they are rooted in reality or simply part of his signature deadpan humor remains uncertain.
A Running Joke or a Hidden Truth?
Shaq’s history as one of the most famous and financially successful athletes in the world naturally leads to speculation about his personal life. His reluctance to provide a straight answer on the subject may simply be his way of maintaining privacy-or keeping the jokes alive.
And he recently doubled down on the mystery during an appearance on the It’s Giving podcast, when he was asked if he had any children the public was unaware of.
“I have a lot of children,” O’Neal said. He then added, “Figure it out… I have a lot of children I’m responsible for.”
The topic and his lack of transparency has become a running gag among his colleagues, especially Inside the NBA co-host and legend of basketball, Charles Barkley, who often teases Shaq about the number of kids he has by jokingly inflating the count.
Despite the constant teasing, Shaq takes these jokes in stride, never outright denying the claims but never fully confirming them either.
Whether the speculation holds any truth or is simply a well-played joke, Shaquille O’Neal’s ability to keep fans entertained, even about his personal life remains as strong as ever.
