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Basketball Wives is a reality television series that first aired on VH1 in 2010. The show chronicles the lives of women who are the current or former wives and girlfriends of professional basketball players. Shaunie Henderson, who was married to NBA star Shaquille O'Neal at the time, is credited with creating the show, serving as an executive producer, and starring in the first season. However, Royce Reed, a former cast member, has claimed that she was the original creator and pitched the idea for the show but did not know how to ask for producer credit. The show has been controversial for its portrayal of women and has faced criticism for scenes of cast members fighting. Despite this, Basketball Wives has been a ratings success, spawning multiple spin-offs, including Football Wives, Baseball Wives, and Shaunie's Homecourt.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the show | Basketball Wives |
| Creator | Shaunie Henderson (also referred to as Shaunie O'Neal or Shaunie O'Neal-Henderson) |
| Other alleged creators | Royce Reed, Tom Huffman |
| Executive Producers | Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh, Lauren Eskelin, Lorraine Haughton-Lawson, Julie "Bob" Lombardi, Yessica Garcia, Katie Sole, Nick Emmerson, Alex Demyanenko, Jill Holmes, Sean Rankine, Shaunie Henderson, Jennifer Aguirre, Paula Aranda, Kenny Loeliger-Myers, Angela Liao |
| First Aired | April 11, 2010 |
| Networks | VH1, CW |
| Genre | Reality Television Series |
| Plot | Chronicles the lives of women who are the wives, ex-wives, girlfriends, or have been romantically linked to, professional basketball players |
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What You'll Learn
Royce Reed claims she created the show
Royce Reed, a former cast member of VH1's "Basketball Wives", has consistently claimed that she was the original creator of the show. Reed, a former Orlando Magic dancer and the mother of Dwight Howard's oldest son, asserts that she played a significant role in developing, pitching, and selling the reality series.
In a recent appearance on "Reality With The King," Reed reflected on the launch of "Basketball Wives," claiming that she was the only cast member actively involved in the initial discussions and meetings about the show. She alleges that Shaunie O'Neal-Henderson, who is often credited as the creator, was barely engaged in the early stages of development. According to Reed, the show was pitched to at least eight networks, with CW being the first major network interested in the project.
Reed's claims are not new. Back in 2013, she shared a lengthy Instagram post explaining her departure from "Basketball Wives" and revealing who she believed to be the real creator. In the post, she wrote, "The BBW Show idea was that of Tom Huffman, not Shaunie O’Neal. Shaunie originally turned down the idea of BBW because she wanted to do her own show with her then-husband, Shaquille O’Neal."
Reed's assertion that she created the show stems from her belief that she should have received producer credit. When asked why she didn't receive this credit, she attributed it to her naivete at the time, stating that she didn't know how to navigate the industry and secure the proper recognition for her contributions.
It is worth noting that Reed's role in the show's creation is considered "alleged," and the official credits list Shaunie O'Neal-Henderson as an executive producer. Additionally, Reed's time on "Basketball Wives" ended prematurely due to an undisclosed reason, which may have contributed to the ongoing debate about the show's origins.
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Shaunie Henderson was also a creator and executive producer
Shaunie Henderson, formerly Shaunie O'Neal, was a creator and executive producer of the reality TV show Basketball Wives. The show, which first aired in 2010, chronicles the lives of women who are or were married to, or romantically linked with, basketball players. Shaunie herself was previously married to NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, and they share six children.
In an interview, Shaunie reflected on creating the show, saying it was a "'matter of survival'" for her. She explained that she needed the show to be successful so that she could provide for her children after her divorce from O'Neal. Shaunie also wanted to create a platform for women to have the freedom to express themselves and boost their financial opportunities.
While Shaunie is often credited as a creator of the show, this claim has been disputed. Royce Reed, a former cast member, has asserted that she was the original creator of Basketball Wives. Reed, a former NBA team dancer and ex-girlfriend of Orlando Magic, claims that she was involved in developing, pitching, and selling the show but did not know how to ask for producer credit. She alleges that Shaunie O'Neal-Henderson was present during initial discussions but hardly engaged.
Despite the controversy, Shaunie Henderson has undoubtedly played a significant role in the success of Basketball Wives. In addition to her creative and executive producer roles, she has also appeared as a cast member on the show, providing a platform for herself and other women to share their experiences and stories.
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Spin-offs include 'Football Wives' and 'Baller Wives'
The success of Basketball Wives has led to several spin-offs, including Football Wives and Baller Wives. Football Wives, the first spin-off, aired from October 24 to December 19, 2010, and featured the wives and girlfriends of professional football players. The show was renewed for a second season, which premiered on December 12, 2010, with Tami Roman, the ex-wife of Kenny Anderson, joining the cast. The fourth season premiered on February 20, 2012, after the conclusion of the spin-off Basketball Wives LA in November 2011.
Baller Wives, the fourth spin-off, aired from August 14 to September 11, 2017, and also focused on the lives of the wives and girlfriends of professional football players. Shaunie O'Neal, an executive producer of the original Basketball Wives series, has discussed expanding the franchise to other cities such as Houston, Dallas, and Orlando. While a spin-off in New York was rumoured to be in the works, it was never green-lit by VH1.
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Tami Roman and Evelyn Lozada's fight was one of the show's most infamous moments
The feud between Roman and Lozada continued beyond the show, with the two women engaging in an online blowout ahead of season 8. The dispute began when Lozada took issue with Roman commenting on her ex-fiancé's Instagram post. Lozada unleashed a series of digs at Roman via her Instagram story, sparking a heated exchange between the two. The online feud led fans to take sides and generated even more interest in the upcoming season of "Basketball Wives".
Despite the intense conflict, Lozada reached out to Roman to try and make amends. In an interview, Roman revealed that Lozada called her the very next day, expressing her belief that they had been set up by the producers. The two women met up and were able to squash their beef. However, the truce was short-lived as Roman later discovered that Lozada was profiting off their conflict by selling merchandise related to the incident.
The fight between Tami Roman and Evelyn Lozada is a testament to the dramatic and unpredictable nature of "Basketball Wives". The incident not only impacted the relationships between the cast members but also generated significant buzz and engagement from viewers, solidifying its place as one of the show's most memorable moments.
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The first season aired in 2010
The first season of the reality television series "Basketball Wives" aired on VH1 from April 11, 2010, to June 20, 2010. The show, which was primarily filmed in Miami, Florida, ran for eight weeks with 30-minute episodes. "Basketball Wives" was executively produced by Shaunie O'Neal, Jill Holmes, Tom Huffman, Sean Rankine, Nick Emmerson, and Alex Demyanenko. Shaunie O'Neal, who was married to NBA star Shaquille O'Neal at the time, also served as an executive producer and starred in the show.
The first season of "Basketball Wives" followed the lives of several women who were either currently or previously romantically involved with professional basketball players. The cast included Royce Reed, a former NBA team dancer and the mother of Dwight Howard's oldest son; Suzie Ketcham, Michael Olowokandi's ex-girlfriend; Gloria Govan, Matt Barnes' fiancée; Jennifer Williams, wife of Eric Williams; Evelyn Lozada, fiancée of Antoine Walker; and Faith Rein, Udonis Haslem's girlfriend. Shaunie O'Neal, wife of Shaquille O'Neal, was also part of the cast and served as an executive producer.
The show received a lot of attention and criticism for its portrayal of women, who were sometimes depicted fighting with each other. Despite this, "Basketball Wives" was a success, leading to several spin-offs, including Football Wives, Baseball Wives, Shaunie's Homecourt, Baller Wives, and Basketball Wives Orlando.
It is worth noting that there are conflicting claims regarding the creator of "Basketball Wives." While Shaunie O'Neal-Henderson is often credited as the creator, Royce Reed, one of the cast members, has claimed that she was the original creator and that she did not know how to ask for producer credit. According to Reed, the idea for the show actually came from Tom Huffman, and O'Neal-Henderson was initially not interested in the concept.
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Frequently asked questions
Shaunie Henderson, formerly Shaunie O'Neal, is credited with founding and executive producing Basketball Wives. Shaunie was married to NBA star Shaquille O'Neal at the time.
There is some debate over who created the concept for the show. Shaunie Henderson and Royce Reed, a former cast member, have both claimed responsibility for the show's creation.
In 2013, Royce Reed shared an Instagram post explaining her exit from the show and revealing the real alleged creator of the show to be Tom Huffman.
Basketball Wives chronicles the lives of a group of women who are the wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends of professional basketball players.
