For Shaquille O'Neal's ex-wife, Shaunie O'Neal, being a basketball wife has had its fair share of ups and downs. The 36-year-old mother of five decided to tell the untold stories of the women behind famous ball players on the hit VH1 reality show 'Basketball Wives,' which she executive produces.

The second season will air later next week and this time around, O'Neal has decided to step from behind the camera and share more of her own story. She tellsus that she's single, happy and still optimistic that there are some basketball stars out there who don't cheat on their wives.

BlackVoices.com talks 20 Questions with Shaunie O'Neal.

BlackVoices.com: How do you feel about the success of the first season of 'Basketball Wives'?
Shaunie O'Neal: I'm really proud of the first season. I had no idea it would have so much success. Of course, I knew it would be good. Season two, I already know. There's so much going on, and you get to learn the ladies much more with an hour. I am even more proud of season two.

BV: Why did you feel this story was so important to share on television?
SO: Just based on people asking me at games, "Do all the ladies hang out together?" and "Who's friends and who's not friends?" Even girlfriends of mine would be curious, so it was like reality shows are a big thing right now, and I think this is a good idea. It took me a minute. I had the idea awhile back.

BV: Do you think basketball wives, in general, get a bad reputation?
SO: I wouldn't have said that before all the blogs, Twitter and all that stuff that's been new over the past few years. Now people want to say, "Oh, they're gold diggers. They're groupies." There are some that are, but there are a lot of us who aren't. Shaquille was the very first athlete that I dated, and I grew up in L.A. It's not all of us, but I do think that we get put in that spot a lot of the time.

BV: How'd you choose the women on the series?
SO: I knew Evelyn Lozada for several years, and we were in Miami together. We decided on a city then we picked the ladies. At the time, I lived in Orlando, and it was easy to base the show out of Florida. Miami is just a hot city. I started with Evelyn because I knew her personality would be great from television. There were some ladies that didn't pop on camera, but we eventually got the cast that we ended up with.

BV: Why'd you decide to be on the show more this season?
SO: I was getting a lot of slack from people saying, "Why don't we see you?" When season one came around, I was going through some personal things, moving back home to L.A. with my kids, I just wanted to focus a lot more on my personal life and family. I was comfortable in the EP seat and not having to be on camera, but it was a constant talk with the network who asked me to be on more and I said "what the heck."

BV: Generally speaking, do you think everybody is being more real this season?
SO: I think they are. There were some times where I was like, "Ooh you might be keeping it too real. Do you realize what you just said and see these cameras around?" They let it all go this season, and it's real. I appreciate every one of them for being real. We've all discussed closing our Twitter accounts for a couple of weeks (laughs). No, we aren't going to do that.

BV: We're so happy that cast member Jennifer Williams finally is getting a divorce. That was long overdue.
SO: We wanted to say, "Get it together," but she comes to grips with things and everybody is like, "Finally, girl you get it."

BV: What are your thoughts on cast member Evelyn Lozada and OchoCinco getting engaged?
SO: I love Evelyn to death, and if Evelyn is happy, so am I. It's really none of my business or anybody else's. If she is happy then I'm happy.

BV: But, do you think being with another athlete after Antoine Walker if a good fit for her?
SO: I don't know. Again, I don't want to put all athletes in any category, but I don't know. She's happy and in a good place now.

BV: Why'd you think former 'Real World' star Tami Roman was a good decision to join the cast?
SO: I knew Tami from years ago. We were neighbors, and in talking to her, she had such of a different story from the rest of us, and I had no idea about the details of the story. I thought that this is nothing that anyone would think exists or know and that it needed to be told because it is so different from anyone else on the show. She was willing to hold nothing back, and I appreciated that and we rolled with it. She brought everything to the table.

BV: Tami has been on the blogs talking about being a b***h and the real one on the show. We even see her getting in a fight and punching one of the other ladies. Was her personality unexpected and volatile to you?
SO: It was very different and shocking at times because sometimes we didn't know where it was coming from or why, and there was crazy stuff going on. I think Tami is a reactor; she doesn't quite hear what you are saying and just misinterprets and it was shocking to all of us. We were like I don't know why she's angry, but we used to ask, "Is something wrong?" but we ended up loving her to death because she's a sweetheart.

BV: Right now, a lot of people are speculating she's doing a lot of that for publicity.
SO: I'm already hearing that and someone is always going to have something to say regardless, but there are some personal things Tami brings to the show, especially things she is sharing with her children. I appreciate her being honest and putting it out there on the table.

BV: Do you think Miami is a big groupie city?
SO: I do feel that way. I hate to put Miami in that spot because it is a beautiful city, but there are no rules or limitations [in Miami]. If you can have women walking down South Beach half-naked anything goes, and things are wilder with the women and what they will do. It's in your face, and they might wave at you while they are doing it.

BV: Do you think it's possible for NBA players to be faithful, or do you believe that there is usually some infidelity on their part?
SO: I hate to put them all in that category because I think there are men capable of being faithful. I can't imagine that every man in every league is unfaithful to his wife. There have to be a couple who do right, but it's absolutely almost impossible not to be because every day it's like, "Dang, him. I never would've thought him." I'm hoping that there are some that just love and cherish their wives and families so much, but I don't know.

BV: You're a veteran basketball wife. Have you seen any faithful NBA players or are you just hopeful?
SO: I'm hopeful. I think that I personally know one of them. My gut tells me that this guy is a good guy. I love his wife to death, and I think they have a good relationship. I keep my fingers crossed that there are more out there.

BV: You've got a boyfriend now. How's it been dating again?
SO: I'm having a ball. I'm happy. Things are good.

BV: Do you let your kids watch the show? Are they aware of what's going on?
SO: I don't think that it's a kid show. They are on there because that's a part of me, and I let them see themselves. Of course my 13-year-old knows everything, but my little ones they don't get it, and I like to protect them from that at this young age.

BV: You're always so composed all the time, but on the first three episodes you're coming for Gloria. Watching the footage are you embarrassed or happy to show that side? Someone was bound to go off on her.
SO: Sometimes I let my personal feelings get in the way of my business, but I've been wanting to go off on that girl since last year. I was so scared to watch it because I knew what was said and how it happened. It got edited down, but I was a nervous wreck. But, on the other hand, I feel like people look at me always as inhumane because I don't get mad or have any emotions and I'm not perfect at all. I get mad just like the next person. I'm glad that I was able to show that side of me. They looked at me as the Mother Goose who came in and solved all the problems. I think people can relate to it, and I'm sure I'll get slack from it, but that's life.

BV: How'd you not put hands on her after some of those comments that she said to you?
SO: Girl, I'm glad that I'm older and more mature now. Let's just say that because had she caught me a good 10 years ago, there would have been no words. But I know she's just young and she thinks she's so mature, but you just don't get it and she still doesn't and it's okay.

BV: How do you balance being a mom with being with the show and keep them from being affected?
SO: I'm a very hands-on mom and I'm very involved. I have my mom here at home in LA.., my dad and brother, and it's a big unit I have to help me. It just works, and I'm blessed with the situation I have.

BV: What advice do you have for a new basketball wife?
SO: Stay grounded. Don't forget you, because you forget yourself real easy with all the traveling and keeping your family and the kids held down. You forget your original dreams and goals. Wiggle that part of yourself in some way and stay focused on what's going on in your world and don't listen to all the stuff. Thank God the blogs and Facebook and Twitter were not going on when I got married because that right there can be the devil...hearing all the stuff people have to say, it's overwhelming and you find out things you didn't necessarily have to know or want to know.

BV: What other shows do you want to produce or what other things are you working on?
SO: I'm working on a self-help book and a shoe line. I do have show ideas going on in my head all the time, and slowly but surely we are getting that done. It's a non-stop thing with 'Basketball Wives' alone, and we also have 'Football Wives' and VH1 is happy with it. I'm shooting for the stars and hopefully will reach them one day.

'Basketball Wives 2' premieres Dec.12 at 8 p.m. EST on VH1.