Co-parenting is the running theme for the Hendersons this week. After talking blended families on The Groow Zone, Keion Henderson was on Jamal Bryant’s Let’s Be Clear, to finally dish on co-parenting with Shaq. Keion’s wife, Shaunie raised five kids with Shaquille O’Neal. Keion has been in their lives at least since 2019. They’re officially adults now and not in need of active parenting. But that hasn’t affected his relationship with them and his friendship with their dad.

That was visible when Shaq, Shaunie, and Keion were the youngest O’Neal, Me’Arah’s escorts at her high school senior night. So Bryant asked Keion the dynamics behind that united front. It was easy for Keion to answer that despite what the perspective outside is, “Me and Shaquille O’Neal have never had an issue whatsoever.”

It might not satisfy the nosybodies online, especially with unfounded rumors circulating about Shaunie and Keion recently. But Keion maintains, “every encounter with that man has been a positive one and has been about his children.’Cuz see, I know my place, those are his kids, he has first right of refusal.”

Keion, a dad to a young tween daughter, has a similar stance to Shaq as expressed on The Groow Zone. He told Shaunie’s kids that he’s not out to replace their father, but he will be there for whatever they need. “There’s no competition in the space cuz he would win every time,” he says.

Henderson doesn’t step on Shaq’s toes but he also revealed that the big man reciprocates just the same. When Meezy committed to Florida and the family threw a party to sign the letter of intent, Henderson was surprised that O’Neal was taking his cues from him. If he had to describe his dynamic with Shaq, Keion says, “it’s seamless, it’s easy, it’s, for a lack of a better term, a perfect union.”

And Henderson is even grateful that O’Neal is involving him.

Shaq and Keion Henderson can relate to each other

This week, Keion Henderson had a rare moment of disclosure about his personal life. He confessed his father had an affair with his mother and was absent from his life. That’s also something Shaq can relate to as his own biological father was absent since his birth. However, while Shaq had a very present stepfather in Philip Harrison, Keion’s stepfather was somewhat distant.

He told Shaunie that while his stepfather did the bare minimum, Keion noticed the difference between himself and the man’s biological kids. So Henderson feels strongly about children who don’t have that father figure in their lives. It makes him grateful that Shaq allows him to be a second dad to his kids.

During the press tour for Shaunie’s memoir,  when there was a lot of noise about Shaunie’s comments on Shaq, Keion conveyed his strong admiration for O’Neal’s philanthropy. Shaq’s generosity and charity impressed the pastor and he’s confident they’d maintain that positivity going forward.