Who Is Shaq Dating? Fans Are Curious While He Remains Private

The question, "Who is Shaq dating?" has been circulating in the media for some time. Though his known romantic history is short, it is full of several romance rumors. Still, there were a few confirmed relationships, and the former NBA star has even been rumored to be engaged to his former flames.

Shaq O'Neal was deemed one of the greatest basketball players of his time. Since he retired from the game in 2011, he has pursued several notable endeavors in business, entertainment, and philanthropy.

However, his post-retirement success isn't the only thing that has people talking, as they wonder, "Who is Shaq dating?" Following his divorce in the late 2000s, Shaq's dating history has included a few long-term committed romances; however, it hasn't been absent of rumors.

It has been a subject of interest in the media in recent years, with fans speculating about his relations to certain women in the entertainment industry, including colleagues and potential business partners. However, the former NBA heavyweight has rarely, if ever, provided comment.

Shaquille O'Neal's Most Recent Rumored Relationship

In January 2019, Shaq was spotted walking hand-in-hand with Annie Ilonzeh in the streets of New York City. The two were seen last May again enjoying a beach day, with some outlets continuing to report they were a couple.

Shaq's alleged lover is an actress who broke into the industry in the late 2000s. Although she has starred in films, Annie is known chiefly for her TV appearances in high-profile shows, including "Chicago Fire," alongside Kara Killmer, "General Hospital," and "Switched at Birth."

Amid Shaq's reported romance with Annie, the media has linked him to two women in the past year, including his "The Big Podcast" co-host Nischelle Turner and Dr. Jaime Johnston. Fans assumed Nischelle and Shaq were dating after the two attended the Super Bowl together.

Although neither of them commented, it was concluded that their relationship was only platonic. Regarding Shaq's link to Jaime, the pair went viral when they were spotted enjoying a dinner date last June. Jaime had even posted a photo of herself that night, captioning it:

"His favourite view [red heart emoji]."

However, there was no mention of Shaq. Sources told Page Six that he referred to Jaime as his date when they ordered their food. Yet when the news outlet reached out to the Kin Essentials CEO, she clarified that her meeting with Shaq was business-related.

The only romantic link that now remains to be confirmed regarding who Shaq is dating is the one between himself and Annie, but neither of them has provided comment since their first sighting. They've kept their supposed relationship under wraps.

Shaq and Annie have yet to appear on each other's socials; Shaq's Instagram timeline is mainly filled with work-related content, and the same goes for Annie's IG account, save for a few posts about vacations and outfits.

Still, Shaq's dating life has always been a subject of interest, especially among fans on Twitter. One fan recently retweeted one of his clips, joking that he was "dressed like his dating pool begins and ends in Temecula, CA." In 2021, someone else once tweeted, inquiring if he was dating media influencer Elsie Majimbo.

Shaquille O'Neal and Laticia Rolle's Relationship

Shaq's last confirmed relationship was with Eckerd College graduate Laticia Rolle. The former lovers went public with their romance in 2014 and made regular public appearances during their time together.

In June of that year, they got cozy at a Paris nightclub alongside other celebrities, including Busta Rhymes. Two days after, they were spotted enjoying a tennis match at Wimbledon. Laticia and Shaq reportedly met while the former was a hostess at a bar in Florida.

In 2017, news broke that they were engaged after Laticia donned a large diamond ring in a since-deleted Instagram post. Fans flooded her comment section with congratulatory messages, though Laticia hadn't clarified if she and Shaq were indeed planning to marry.

However, the following year, unnamed sources claimed the two had separated. Shaq and Laticia had supposedly ended their relationship in March 2018. By the time these reports surfaced, Laticia had removed some of her Instagram posts that included Shaq.

Others remained on her timeline, but she and the NBA Hall of Famer were last seen together that February. Soon after their breakup, Laticia began posting about finding happiness and freedom, avoiding "toxicity," and choosing not to settle.

Nicole "Hoopz" Alexander Was Shaquille O'Neal's Fiancée

Shaq began dating reality TV star Nicole Alexander in 2010 when he played for the Boston Celtics. They lived together in Boston during that time, and following Shaq's transition from a basketball player to a commentator, they moved to Florida.

It's unclear when they got engaged, but the pair ended their romance in 2012 following an intense quarrel at a gymnastics training center in Orlando. Although Shaq was the one who broke up with Nicole, she confirmed their separation in August of that year.

The Only Woman Who Became Shaq's Wife

Shaq only ever married "Basketball Wives" producer Shaunie O'Neal. The two had met in 1997 after Shaq started playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and were soon lovers. They welcomed two children before tying the knot secretly in 2002.

Shaunie was already a mother to Myles O'Neal when she met Shaq. The pair welcomed four kids in total, two of whom are currently basketball players in high school and friends with Scottie Pippen's son Preston Pippen.

Shaq and Shaunie separated in 2007 and were on the verge of ending their marriage before trying to rekindle their relationship. However, things never worked out for them as a couple, and they divorced in 2010. Shaunie has since remarried, but she and Shaq have maintained a cordial co-parenting relationship.

Shaquille O'Neal's First-Known Girlfriend

Shaq was in a long-term relationship with a woman named Arnetta Yardbourgh. It's unknown when their romance began or ended, but the former couple welcomed Shaq's first child in 1996, a daughter they named Taahirah O'Neal.

When Arnetta was still pregnant, people made derogatory assumptions that she was his one-night stand who was after Shaq's money, and he didn't appreciate that. Still, he was incredibly committed to being a first-time father, going as far as attending Lamaze classes to prepare for Taahirah's arrival.