The thing to keep in mind regarding the Basketball Wives Season 2 reunion, is how different the backstage was versus the Season 1 reunion. Last year, the five primary cast members who showed up (Shaunie O’Neal, Evelyn Lozada, Jennifer Williams, Royce Reed and Suzie Ketcham) spent most of their pre-show time together, discussing the show, their lives, their lives on the show and various other gossip in the hair and makeup room. Flash forward to the Season 2 reunion, when everyone more or less stayed in their own dressing rooms (some of which were in separate buildings on the studio lot). Shaunie and Evelyn spent a bit of time together getting their hair done…and that’s about it. Whereas there were several opportunities to photograph these women as a group last time around, it wasn’t until they hit the stage that I was able to capture them all together. It felt a little colder than usual on set that day last month…and those sets are always freezing.
For this reason, as our main backstage reunion coverage, I’ve compiled quotes from various interviews regarding how these women felt about this season, next season, the drama, the circle and, perhaps most importantly, each other. They weren’t together physically, but many of their feelings were. And the ones that weren’t were only more fascinating. The results, organized by topic, are below…
Activism
Suzie Ketcham: So many people had reached out to me and have given me support like, ?We?ve been bullied,” or, “My kid has been bullied at school and we like the way you handled yourself.? There were so many people who admired the way I handled myself during the show so if I didn’t attend the reunion, I would have let them down. They are the whole reason why I came.
Barnes, Matt
Jennifer Williams: [On Matt's Twitter comment regarding her leaked nude pictures] I was going to go in on him but I was like, I?m not giving him no light! I am not giving him no satisfaction because the minute I start some s*** with him, it makes him relevant! He needs to go to rehab and try to play a game! Leave me the hell alone!
Shaunie O’Neal: First of all, let me say this: there is nothing masculine about a man who dips into some women?s stuff. I wouldn?t ever want my man to do that. I find it a little strange. I?m all for having your girl?s back, but this is some verbal arguing with some other ladies. Why, as a man, are you getting in that at all? This has nothing to do with him. Matter of fact, we don?t even talk about him. We honestly don?t even talk about Gloria, so I don?t understand. I mean, I do understand, because I think that this show and the fact that we?re talking about him is the only thing that makes Matt relevant. And I get it because you apparently like this because you came back. I don?t know if he can find some other outlet, but really you?re making yourself look crazy. Like, I?m really questioning a whole lot of stuff about Matt because, like, why are you talking to us? Nobody talk to Matt!
Gloria Govan: People argue. There was a domestic dispute; there was no violence. Just in the small community where Matt?s from, people jumped on it.
Bullying
Suzie: There are so many people who are constantly bullied and harassed and they feel like s***. Some kids don?t want to go to school; some people don?t want to go to work. Then it gets to the point where there is a Columbine and they are like, “F*** it, we are just going to kill everybody,” or people go to the post office and just start shooting people up. It is a very serious problem! Bullying pushes people to kill themselves or just lose their head and go bananas. I am not saying that I am going to lose my mind on Basketball Wives and just start popping off on people, but I think I really empathized and feel with people now. I feel a lot of people?s pain and what they are going through.
Evelyn Lozada: I think there was the perception that I was bullying [Suzie]. It’s frustrating ’cause that?s not what it is. Every other day it was something else. She was running her mouth about every goddamn thing. It wasn?t just the Vegas thing, it was other things and as filming went on it would just build, build, build. That?s why I had beef with her the whole time.
Circle, The
Evelyn: [On invoking the terminology] “I told Suzie she was out the circle. I was like, ‘This is the circle and you are here,’ because of Meet The Parents. The father-in-law was like, ‘This is the circle.’”
Royce Reed: I think we heard it the last season. I don?t remember who started it, but it became more prevalent this one. When we were filming this time and I?m like, “What is this circle crap?” I am not a cliquish person. I try to get along with everybody. If I don?t like you, I don?t like you, but I am not going to sit there and have the mentality like, “Oh my friend doesn?t like you so I don?t like you, either.” I am not in high school…I don?t consider myself in the circle at all. I?m like on the outside of the circle running around like I am running track and s***. I don?t play the field events.
Shaunie: You know, we don?t walk around saying , “We?re the circle!” Like, nobody does that. She just was using that as an analogy at that moment. I think people have taken that whole, “This is the circle? thing a bit to the left. We honestly would never ever say that, Evelyn was just trying to break it down for her at that point. We got it, nobody else did.
Govan, Gloria
Suzie: I love Gloria. Gloria is my girl.
Ashley Walker: Gloria?s cool.
Jennifer: With Matt and Gloria when they had their domestic violence situation — I don?t wish that on anybody. Although I don?t really care for Gloria, I don?t want to see anybody go through that.
Ketcham, Suzie
Ashley: I?m cool with Suzie, I think Suzie?s cool. People put that past Suzie, but I think she?s cool.
Evelyn: Me and her will never be friends. I will never f*** with her ever again but I knew that she felt bad.
Royce: I talk to Suzie a few times a month…I kind of threw her under the bus by [telling Tami what Suzie said about her] and I felt really bad about it, but she eventually got over it..
Lozada, Evelyn
Suzie: I have moved on with that whole Evelyn situation. I really don?t care anymore. It?s actually boring to me when people try to talk to me about it — I am like, “Ugh, f***ing here we go again.? They really weren?t my real friends. I have real friends that I still have from kindergarten.
Ashley: I got respect for Evelyn. She does her thing.
Shaunie: She?s a sweetheart, but you piss her off and you?re going to get what you get. It is what it is.
Mean and Evil
Jennifer: We always debate about which one is worse! And I?m like evil is way worse than mean! Hello! Check the dictionary!
Evelyn: I am probably the evil one. I am more of the one that?s like, “Hmmmm…”. Jen can be mean sometimes. You know, we were called that even before the show. My business partner was the one that started calling us that ’cause we would be out or in the club or somewhere talking s*** and she would be like, “You guys are just Mean and Evil.” I can see me being the evil one.
Menstruation
Jennifer: I have my period, so these bitches better leave me alone! Sorry if it?s TMI but it is what it is!
Messiness
Evelyn: I think everyone has a little messy ish to them. Whatever, I think everybody has their own thing that they are going through and dealing with. Nobody is perfect and it is what it is. I never sat up here and acted like my s*** was perfect and I don?t think anyone?s life perfect so I think a little messiness is interesting. You know it really is, it?s boring if it wasn?t.
Tami Roman: If you are not good TV, then you are gone, so everybody has to have an element of messy, whatever that is!
Jennifer: I don?t think I am messy!
Negativity
Suzie: I was trying to avoid negativity. I hate negativity. There is already so much negative s*** in your life that you have to deal with, like all of sudden you find out that your father has cancer or someone?s child got into some kind of accident. [The stuff on the show] is negativity that I can choose not to deal not to deal with. That?s why I kept walking away from certain situations. Why am I going to make myself endure so much bulls***?
Jennifer: I have enough in my personal life to be arguing with some catty bitches.
O’Neal, Shaunie
Tami: At the end of the day, even though she is on the show she is also the executive producer. She is in the business of making a great show. From a personal stand point, I think she would like to be friendly but at the same time, she still has to make a great show. She does what she has to do.
Suzie: Shaunie, I have so much respect for her. I admire her as a person. She is a mother of five and has dealt with a divorce and is where she is right now. It?s not like she is just sitting home enjoying her child support and alimony. She is actually doing a lot with her life and I love that. I hope that this situation with Evelyn doesn?t affect my relationship with Shaunie.
Ashley: She gets her hustle on, but we?ve never really spoken.
Evelyn: I don?t think me and Shaunie are ever going to beef…Me and Shaunie don?t have anything to…we laugh all the time like, “What the f*** is going on?”
Ochocinco, Chad
Jennifer: It is kind of a different ball game now, because [he and Evelyn] are engaged. I think whenever you hear “athlete” you have to be a little leery, even if it was with myself! But if Evelyn is happy then that is all that matters.
Evelyn: Everything is great! We enjoyed our summer together. We went to Europe together and this weekend is his daughter?s birthday party, so we are kind of just spending time together: my daughter his kids.
Pictures (nude and leaked variety)
Jen: If I wanted everybody to see me f***ing naked I would go to Playboy and get paid for it so please!
Evelyn: When Jennifer?s pics leaked, [Royce] said she leaked them herself. I am Jennifer?s good friend and that was hurtful to me because she was entertaining people on Twitter, retweeting f***ed up s*** that people were saying about her. I don?t think that?s cool.
Royce: I know Jen has an issue with me because I didn?t call her and talk to her when her pictures came out. I am not going to be phony about it. I told her I felt like she did it and I am not going to call her, like, “Oh my God, Are you OK?” If she did it, OK, and if she didn?t OK, but I am still entitled to my opinion.
Evelyn: If she wants to do s*** for fame, she?s not going to have her f***ing p**** online. Like, that?s not her. That?s why I have the beef with Royce. I?m going, “You?ve got some goddamn nerve.” And my loyalty?s to Jen. Like, that?s f***ed up.
Shaunie: Jen went there, though, with her pictures. I was like, “Jen! What the -? Jennifer?” They weren?t the ones were you had to cover your eyes and peeking out, but I was a little uncomfortable. I love her, but I didn?t love her that much.
Suzie: I am so busy, sometimes I can?t even remember to feed myself, so for me, to be worrying about my leaked nude pictures, or whatever? Seriously?
Royce: [On her own hypothetical nude shots] If I am sending pictures like that to somebody, I believe in no face/no name. But on top of that, I know who I am sending my pictures to and I am going to call them out on everything.
Shaunie: [On her nonexistent nude shots] Evelyn and Jen have naked-picture bodies. I would need to get it together if I was going to do that. I?d be doing straight ass shots or something.
Jen: Everybody keeps saying that: “Well you looked good in picture.? Yeah, but that?s really not the point. I mean if I didn?t think I looked good I probably wouldn?t have taken them or saved them or whatever the case, but that is beside the point.
Reed, Royce
Tami: I have spoken to Royce and Ashley more than the people that I thought I was bonding with the most.
Suzie: I love Royce.
Ashley: I?m real cool with Royce.
Evelyn: The thing with Royce is she is a little s***-talker. She plays both sides.
Reunion (Season 1)
Suzie: I felt so horrible about what I did to Sandra with the water, throwing the bucket on her. When I was sitting in jail, it really made everything real. I was like, “What am I doing?” I am 31 years old running around like that. What kind of role model am I to people?
Royce: I think at the last reunion I was so emotional because I had got a chance to show people who I really was. After stuff that has been written in the media about me, it gave me a chance to show people I am not crazy!
Reunion (Season 2) (the vibe backstage)
Suzie: It’s very segregated. I feel like I am in prison! But honestly, I wouldn?t have wanted it to be any other way because I don?t want to be around negativity.
Evelyn: Last season, the air was kind of cool, but now as you can see they have us separated. Things aren?t that great.
Shaunie: I was telling Evelyn, last time we came, like, ?What up! Hey!? everything was real congenial. This time there’s tension, but it?s funny on our end because I guess we?re considered the mean girls. I was just telling Evelyn I think that we are the real girls and they might be the angry ones.
Royce: I think they are trying to get real emotions onstage, and I am guessing certain people don?t speak. Like I said I don?t talk to Jen, Evelyn and Shaunie so I don?t know what?s going on with them. I don?t know if they are still tight or if something else has gone down. There could have been another situation like the Suzie crap. I have no idea.
Jennifer: I am the type of individual were I can go to dinner they can all be in the same room. It wouldn?t really faze me. I don?t really care about s*** like that!
Roman, Tami
Ashley: Tami and I, we?re really cool.
Royce: I talk to Tami every now and then.
Gloria: I?ve never met Tami.
Shaunie: We?re cool with Tami, we think… Tami, I talk to her sometimes through BBM. I check on her because her mom?s been sick and things like that and she?ll run some business stuff by me sometimes.
Season 3
Jennifer: I just don?t know what this season holds. I?m sure it?s like Jennifer moving on — Jennifer dates, which I?m really not looking forward to going on any blind dates.
Evelyn: I am like, “What the f*** are we going to do next?” But we always worry about that and it always comes together. S*** just unfolds. Shaunie is like, “You can?t even write this. This is really what happens.”
Tami: I think that the show stands on its own, and that it was good the first season. I think it would be good the third season even if I wasn?t on it. It?s not necessarily that they need me to be apart of the show… For me going into Season 3, if I were to do it it would definitely only be because I felt that I have something more to bring. I don?t want to be on the show just arguing and being catty. I don’t want that being the only element that I am bringing to the show, ’cause that?s not really who I am as a person in my entirety.
Shaunie: We didn?t know how we were going to top Season 1. We just roll with it. Sometimes we think we?re boring as hell, like, that s*** is awful, and then you see it on camera like, oh, ok! That?s impressive!
Ashley: You?ve got to weigh the options on your family and in your relationship, like, is it worth it?
Shoes
Royce: I like my sneakers. I am not into the six inch heels. I?ll wear them but I might be taking them off on this stage. They keep telling me, “Please don?t do that.” We got some bedazzled sneakers or something?
Sisterly bond
Jennifer: You film with these people for so many months. I care about all my cast mates — I am human. I don?t know if they would say the same thing about me, but I don?t want see anybody going through something that is negative or something that I know hurts them because I am not that type of person.
Evelyn: The honest-to-God truth, I would say there was sort of a sisterly bond. Tami was coming into that. Royce was definitely not in that sisterly bond circle. She had her two things to say but I didn?t leave Spain feeling like, “Wow we were all close and Royce is part of our sisterhood,” and s***. No she wasn?t. No it?s not and it is never going to be that way.
Royce: I?m over the girly stuff. I?m not a chick person so I don?t really have time for the chick s***.
Tami: I have spoken to Royce and Ashley more than the people that I thought I was bonding with the most. It?s weird because I thought that when we left the show that it would be more camaraderie, but I have found that social media plays a big part in how people deal with each other.
Suzie: They really not my friends. I have a whole lot of great friends and great family that support me and those are the people that matter.
Twitter
Evelyn: Gloria was kind of in a Twitter rant with Royce and jumping on the bandwagon with Royce?s little s***-talking on Twitter. I since then blocked her out.
Tami: With all the Twittering, [the women on the show] try to be friends, but then people say, ?Oh the show is fake.” The show is not fake, but if they see us talking [on Twitter], they are going to think that what they are seeing is fake, so you kind of lay off a little so that you don?t cause problems for the show. So there are a lot of different elements that make having a friendship very awkward in terms of the show and the public.
Gloria: And all that s*** I was talking, and now I?m on Twitter. Go figure, that?s fine, I?m over it.
TV-making
Suzie: “[Throwing water is] not me, I just got caught up in the excitement of TV.”
Evelyn: I am never fake on camera. I say what I want to say and it?s how I feel. I am not going to switch things out or paddle around certain things because the camera is on, so it?s what it is.
Ashley: That may be something I regret: Rafer should have never been on that show because that?s personal. It?s one thing if you talk about me, but when you talk about my relationship with my family, then you?re taking it to another level and that?s when there?s problems.
Villainy
Evelyn: I am always the bad guy. I?m really a nice person — I really am — but for the most part [the reaction] has been more good then bad. It kind of depends on the episode, though. One Sunday, Shaunie was the f***ing devil fighting with the Gloria argument. You just never know, but you always have the people who just love to hate you. I don?t care.
Walker, Ashley
Suzie: I love Ashley.
Shaunie: I don?t really know Ashley at all.
Williams, Jennifer
Ashley: As far as Jennifer, our personalities are different. We?re not necessarily on speaking terms. I got respect for the girl, I mean, she?s got a lip gloss line and s***, she?s got her thing. I wouldn?t necessarily talk s*** about her, but we?re not necessarily cool, you know what I?m saying?
Gloria: I?m kind of interested to see what Jen has to say, even if Evelyn has to throw in her own 2 cents.
Suzie: I think Jen is right there with Evelyn. I liked Jen, but she is going to be Evelyn’s sidekick and do whatever Evelyn wants her to do.
For the full context of these quotes, check out our individual backstage Basketball Wives 2 Reunion interviews below. And be sure to check back after Monday’s reunion airing for more pictures and interviews…
Basketball Wives 2 Reunion Interview - Jennifer Williams
Basketball Wives 2 Reunion Interview - Evelyn Lozada
Basketball Wives 2 Reunion Interview - Tami Roman
Basketball Wives 2 Reunion Interview - Royce Reed
Basketball Wives 2 Reunion Interview - Shaunie O’Neal
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