Shaquille O’Neal has always been candid about his past mistakes, particularly when it comes to his relationships. “I was a serial cheater,” Shaq admitted, acknowledging that ego fueled his actions. It cost him dearly, leading to the end of his marriage with Shaunie Henderson. Yet, while he’s owned up to physical infidelity, there’s one accusation that baffles him to this day—emotional cheating. On a recent podcast, Shaq opened up about being accused of this by an ex-girlfriend and why he just doesn’t buy it.

Recently, Shaq appeared on Angel Reese’s Unapologetically Angel podcast, where the topic of emotional cheating came up. Shaq was blunt—he doesn’t really understand what emotional cheating means. Sharing a story to explain his confusion, he said, “I was dating this girl, she said I wasn’t physically cheating, but she claimed I was emotionally cheating.” He went on to explain that, in his view, texting or flirting doesn’t automatically mean you’re cheating. However, Reese had a different take, saying she’d rather her man not compliment other women at all.

So, what exactly was Shaq’s purpose behind those flirtatious texts? According to him, it was all about “setting her up for the boy.” He explained how he’d send a message like, “You are beautiful,” just to see the woman’s response. He joked about how the situation could easily be misinterpreted if his girlfriend stumbled upon these messages. In Shaq’s mind, he wasn’t cheating, but the evidence could make it seem otherwise. His advice? “Know your man,” before jumping to conclusions, Shaq told in the podcast.

Interestingly, Shaq’s views on infidelity have evolved since his divorce from Shaunie in 2011. After their split, they had a heart-to-heart conversation, where Shaq finally admitted why he’d been unfaithful. According to Shaunie, it was an honest and much-needed talk that brought her closure.

“What’s crazy is that cheating was an ego boost,” Shaq confessed during that conversation. He acknowledged that it wasn’t about love or even attraction—it was about seeing if he could get away with it. Shaunie appreciated his honesty, but it didn’t change the damage that had already been done.

Shaquille O’Neal and Shaunie

In May, Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-wife, Shaunie Henderson, released her memoir Undefeated, sparking a fresh wave of conversation about their relationship. In the book, Henderson openly questioned whether she had truly been in love with Shaq during their marriage. O’Neal responded with a reflective message on Instagram, writing, “I understand… I wouldn’t have been in love with me either.” He ended the post on a bittersweet note, wishing her the best and signing off with, “All love, Shaq.”

However, shortly after, Henderson clarified her statement in an interview with PEOPLE, stating her words were taken out of context. “My book is my truth,” she explained, adding that pulling one quote without understanding the full context led to misunderstandings. “People are taking my words out of context.” Henderson emphasized that her actions post-divorce have shown her true character, saying, “I’m not a word girl. I’m a character girl.”

Interestingly, on his Big Podcast with Shaq, O’Neal shared his thoughts on the cheating scandal involving Celtics coach Ime Udoka, acknowledging that he had faced similar issues in the past. Shaq admitted that his own actions almost cost him his family, drawing a direct line between his past and Udoka’s current situation.

“It would be crazy for me to criticize him,” Shaq said, addressing the Udoka affair. He confessed, “I know they’re going through a lot because I went through a lot. I did it, I was the best at it. I’m not proud of it.”