After more than a decade of table flips, side-eyes and iconic reality TV moments,Basketball Wives has officially reached the end of the road. Shaunie O'Neal, the creator and the long-time face of the franchise, confirmed that the series will not return.
This marks the end of an era for closeted reality television fans Basketball Wives since day one. Taking to social media, the OG basketball wife announced that the final whistle had been blown on the franchise that helped define a generation of unscripted TV.
“Basketball Wives Update: You heard it here first. Basketball Wives will not be coming back,” Shaunie wrote. She went on to thank BET, VH1, Shed Media, and the fans who supported the show from its debut in 2010. According to Shaunie, what started as a vision turned into a platform that amplified voices and opened doors, a sentiment that longtime viewers cannot deny.
Source: Basketball Wives / VH1
Since the premiere, Basketball Wives followed women connected to NBA players. It also changed reality TV culture. The show catapulted Shaunie, Evelyn Lozada, Jackie Christie, and Jennifer Williams into pop culture staples, and delivered moments that lived on far beyond the screen. From meme-worthy confrontations to real friendships and feuds, the series became appointment television and a blueprint for ensemble reality casts.
Shaunie also shared that closing this chapter doesn't mean she's slowing down. In her post, she described the end as a transition rather than a loss, hinting at new projects that match where she is personally and professionally.
Former Basketball womans, Draya Michele and Laura Govan, saw Shaunie's post and inserted herself into the farewell plans. In a separate Instagram story, Draya said she would be happy to produce one last dinner with Shaunie as the world bids farewell to the franchise.
Similarly, Laura Govan said she would like to be in things.
“Nawww … @BBWLA it's not over until we all have one more show #INRealLife,” she wrote, tagging not only Shaunie, but Draya Michele, her sister Gloria Govan, Tami Roman and Jackie Christie. “I will direct it,” she added.
Season 12 of Basketball Wives aired on VH1 in 2025, quietly ending a franchise that dominated the reality TV game for more than a decade. Whether you loved the chaos or hated watching it, the show left a legacy that changed the reality TV playbook forever.
