Basketball Wives (franchise)

**Basketball Wives** is an American reality television series franchise on VH1. It chronicles the everyday lives of women romantically linked to men in the professional basketball industry.

The original incarnation was filmed in Miami, Florida and premiered on April 11, 2010. **Basketball Wives LA** premiered on August 29, 2011, however, both shows ran for five seasons. On March 27, 2017, VH1 announced that **Basketball Wives** would be revived for a sixth season, with its setting relocated to Los Angeles, effectively combining the casts of both the original series and its spinoff. Subsequent seasons have also featured this hybrid cast.

Basketball Wives' success has led to 5 spin-off series in all; **Football Wives**, **Baseball Wives**, **Shaunie's Homecourt**, **Baller Wives** and the upcoming **Basketball Wives Orlando**.

On June 13, 2023, VH1 renewed the main series for an eleventh season, set to air in fall 2023.

## Franchise History

### Basketball Wives Miami

The first season premiered on April 11, 2010, and ran for eight weeks in 30-minute episodes. The cast included Jennifer Williams, Evelyn Lozada, Mesha O'Neal, Royce Reed Faith Rein,nd Shaunie O'Neal, wife of Shaquille O'Neal, who would also serve as an executive producer on the series. Mesha and Faith were later replaced by Suzie Ketcham and Gloria Govan when the show aired. Erikka Moxam, appeared in a supporting role.

The show was renewed for a second season, and premiered on December 12, 2010. Tami Roman was added to the cast, replacing Gloria Govan, who was demoted to a supporting role, alongside Juli Richmond, Kimberli Russell, and Ashley Walker.

Meeka Claxton joined the cast in season three.

The fourth season premiered on February 20, 2012. Meeka departed the series and was replaced by new cast members Kesha Nichols and Kenya Bell.

The fifth season premiered on August 19, 2013. Tasha Marbury joined the cast, while Royce, Jennifer and Kesha were dropped from the series. Kenya would return in the season finale. Afterwards, according to a 2014 tweet from Tami Roman, the show was quietly canceled.

### Basketball Wives LA

On June 20, 2011, VH1 announced that they had expanded the franchise to Los Angeles. The cast included Kimsha Artest, Gloria Govan and her sister Laura Govan, Jackie Christie, and Imani Showalter. Malaysia Pargo and Draya Michele, were announced as cast members a month later. Tanya Williams, would also appear, however, was quickly phased out of the show along with Kimsha Artest, who admittedly stopped showing up for filming because of the "shenanigans and drama".

The show was renewed for a second season, which premiered on September 10, 2012. Imani Showalter quit the show, and was replaced by Brooke Bailey. Adiz "Bambi" Benson, an associate of Malaysia Pargo, appeared in a supporting role.

Following the cancellation of the original **Basketball Wives**, Shaunie O'Neal announced that the cast of **Basketball Wives LA** would be reorganized for season three. New cast members included British Williams, Brandi Maxiell and Sundy Carter. Gloria and Laura Govan confirmed their exit, as well as Brooke Bailey.

The fourth season premiered on July 12, 2015. Shaunie O'Neal and **Bad Girls Club**'s Mehgan James joined the cast, along with Angel Brinks, and Patrice Curry. Tami Roman would appear in supporting roles.

On September 23, 2015, the show was renewed for a fifth season. Draya Michele and Mehgan James would leave the show. They were replaced by Tami Roman and Angel Brinks, who were promoted to the main cast, and new cast members DJ Duffey and Angel Love. It premiered on July 17, 2016.

On March 27, 2017, VH1 announced that the show would be retooled, airing under its original moniker **Basketball Wives**. The sixth season premiered on April 17, 2017. Evelyn Lozada would return to the franchise, along with Jackie Christie and Malaysia Pargo, with Shaunie O'Neal and Tami Roman. Jennifer Williams and Brandi Maxiell would return in supporting roles, with new cast members Keonna Green, Bonnie-Jill Laflin, Elena Ahanzadeh, Cristen Metoyer and her sister Aja, Saniy'yah Samaa, and Hazel Renee.

Jennifer was promoted to the main cast in season seven, which premiered on May 14, 2018. New cast members included Kristen Scott, CeCe Gutierrez, and Ogom 'OG' Chijindu. All cast members returned for season eight, premiering on June 19, 2019, along with new cast member Feby Torres. Tami Roman departed the show halfway through the season, as well as CeCe. After over a year long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show returned for a ninth season on February 9, 2021, with new cast members Liza Morales, Nia Dorsey, and her sister Noria Dorsey.

On April 18, 2022, VH1 announced the show's return for a tenth season, which premiered on May 16, 2022. After the ninth season ended, Evelyn Lozada announced her departure from the series in April 2022, while Kristen Scott, Ogom Chijindu, Feby Torres and Liza Morales were not asked to come back. For the tenth season, three of the five cast members from the previous season returned. Jackie Christie, Malaysia Pargo and Jennifer Williams were joined by former **Basketball Wives LA** alumnae, Angel Brinks, Brandi Maxiell, Brooke Bailey, Brittish Williams and LaTosha Duffey. In addition, Shaunie O'Neal, Nia and Noria Dorsey made multiple guest appearances throughout the season.

On August 1, 2022, during the mid-season finale of season 10, VH1 announced that additional episodes will air soon. On January 23, 2023, VH1 confirmed that the second half will premiere on February 13, 2023. After the sixteenth episode of the tenth season, Pargo exited the show. On May 8, 2023, Duffey announced her exit from the show following the conclusion of the tenth season.

On June 14, 2023, VH1 announced the show's return for an eleventh season, with a fall 2023 premiere. Christie, Bailey and Williams returned. Lozada is set to return as a full-time cast member, along with new cast members Brittany Renner, Vanessa Rider, Jac’Eil Duckworth, and Clayanna Warthen, ex-girlfriend of Andre Iguodala. Brinks and Maxiell did not return, while Henderson will appear again in a guest role.

### Football Wives

A spin-off, **Football Wives**, featuring the wives and girlfriends of professional football players, aired for one season, from October 24 to December 19, 2010.

### Baseball Wives

A second spin-off, **Baseball Wives**, featuring the wives and girlfriends of baseball players from various different teams, also aired for one season, from November 30, 2011 to January 29, 2012.

### Ev and Ocho

On March 12, 2012, VH1 announced the spin-off **Ev and Ocho**, starring Evelyn Lozada and her fiancé Chad Ochocinco, set to air that September. However, before the show was to premiere, the series was shelved, following Ochocinco's arrest for assaulting Lozada, and subsequent divorce.

### Shaunie's Homecourt

On June 30, 2016, VH1 announced its new series **Shaunie's Home Court**, which followed O'Neal behind-the-scenes at home, where she spends the days tending to her brood of five, ranging in age from 10 to 19 years old. Shaunie's Home Court aired for two seasons.

### Baller Wives

A fourth spin-off, **Baller Wives**, featuring the wives and girlfriends of professional football players, aired from August 14 to September 11, 2017.

### Basketball Wives LA Overtime Special

On October 31, 2011, Tami Roman hosted a half-hour Basketball Wives LA overtime special where she sat down with Jackie Christie and Laura Govan about the change of tide in episode ten and what it may mean to the ladies in the final episodes of the first season.

### Basketball Wives Showdown: Evelyn vs. Tami

On March 27, 2017, VH1 announced a pre-season special titled **Basketball Wives Showdown: Evelyn vs. Tami** that premiered on April 10, 2017, highlighting fan favorite moments from Evelyn Lozada and Tami Roman's past seasons.

### Tami Ever After

Tami Roman and boyfriend Reggie Youngblood starred in their own hour-long special on June 19, 2019, on VH1. It followed Roman, and longtime partner Reggie Youngblood as they take the next step in their relationship.

### Shaunie and Keion's Destination "I Do"

On May 18, 2022, MTV Entertainment Studios announced that a wedding special, featuring Shaunie embarking on a second chance at love with Pastor Keion Henderson, was set to air later that year on VH1. On November 7, 2022, TheWrap reported that O'Neal and Keion would be starring in a three-week-event series, **Shaunie and Keion's Destination "I Do"**, and released an exclusive first look clip. The show premiered on November 28, 2022.