Keion Henderson Admits He Wasn’t Ready to Marry Shaunie O’Neal: “I Wasn’t Happy With Myself”

Pastor Keion Henderson has opened up about the emotional struggles he faced before marrying Shaunie O’Neal, revealing that he was initially hesitant to pursue marriage after both had endured painful divorces.

In a candid conversation at The Lighthouse Church’s annual Cry Out Conference in Houston, Texas, and on the “Dear Future Wifey” podcast, Henderson explained that his reluctance wasn’t about Shaunie, but rather about his own fears and unresolved pain.

Keion Henderson, who leads a prominent church in Houston, was previously married to Felicia Henderson for nine years before their divorce was finalized in 2019.

Together, they share a daughter named Caitlyn, and Keion also played a fatherly role to Felicia’s two older children. Shaunie, on the other hand, was married to NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal for seven years before their 2009 separation and 2010 divorce. She retained primary custody of their five children.

Both Henderson and Shaunie entered their new relationship carrying emotional baggage from their previous marriages. Henderson admitted that the trauma of his divorce deeply affected his outlook on love and marriage.

“I didn’t want to get married and stay married because I was afraid to get divorced again,” he confessed. “It wasn’t about her—it was about me. I knew that my chances of surviving another marriage were less than surviving the first one. If I survived this, I definitely can’t survive it again.”

Henderson revealed that his internal struggle led him to self-sabotage, causing him to miss out on six to eight months of happiness with Shaunie. “I wasn’t happy with myself,” he said, acknowledging that his own issues prevented him from fully enjoying their relationship during that time.

Despite their instant chemistry, both Keion and Shaunie initially agreed to maintain a platonic friendship, mostly communicating via FaceTime. They avoided in-person visits while Henderson’s divorce was being finalized. However, as the legal process dragged on, Henderson decided not to let the drawn-out divorce dictate his future.

“Because my divorce was so messy and elongated, I made a decision that I was going to start dating her before the divorce was final,” he explained. “I wasn’t going to let somebody holding up the divorce show me how I could live my life.”

Rumors began circulating in 2019 that Shaunie was dating a married man. Henderson addressed the speculation, clarifying that while he was still legally married, he and Felicia were completely separated at the time.

The turning point came when Henderson realized he needed to overcome his own emotional barriers. “When I woke up from my disastrous mindset, I was able to hear the same woman but not interpret what she was saying through my pain,” he shared. He praised Shaunie for remaining true to herself throughout their journey.

Their love story was later showcased in the reality series “Shaunie & Keion’s Destination ‘I Do,’” culminating in a beautiful tropical wedding at the Aurora Anguilla Resort and Golf Club in March 2022.

In her memoir, Shaunie revealed that she is now experiencing the true bliss of being in love for the first time.

Both Keion and Shaunie’s openness about their struggles and growth offers a powerful reminder that healing and happiness are possible, even after heartbreak.