Shaunie O’Neal Explains Why Brandi Maxiell Was Allowed To Return For ‘Basketball Wives: LA’ Season 5

Shaunie O’Neal is opening up about her drama with fellow “Basketball Wives: LA” cast member Brandi Maxiell, and revealed what led to her changing her mind and allowing Brandi to stay on the VH1 series. It was believed that Brandi had been axed from the show after her nasty feud with Shaunie, who also serves as executive producer, during the Season 4 finale.

“The personal part of me did not want to bring Brandi back,” Shaunie told VH1. “I had just kind of had it. I just felt like even though the apologies had happened and all of that, you know how you just know that’s not your type of person … And personally, I was like I really don’t want to work with her again.”

Shaunie said she left the final decision up to the network, but in the end got onboard with bringing Brandi back for Season 5. “I was like ‘No, I don’t want to rock with her, I don’t care what y’all got to do, get us out that contract.’ But after sitting down I had to put on my professional hat,” she explained.

Brandi confirmed she was returning to the series last month telling Radar Online that Shaunie had a change of heart. However, everything is not cool between them and fans will see the aftermath of their explosive fight. “You’ll see how everything plays out. But we definitely went back to bad moments,” she said. “There were still bad feelings. It was really intense and difficult. I had a headache for about a month filming.”

In a preview of the new season Brandi and Shaunie are seen getting into an argument when Brandi refuses to apologize to her co-star. “I don’t care what’s going through Brandi’s mind,” Shaunie tells the camera, while Brandi says she’s here to stay.