Real Talk June 02, 2021
Evelyn Lozada Is Leaving 'Basketball Wives' After 9 Seasons!

After nine seasons, "Basketball Wives" OG Evelyn Lozada is throwin' in the towel!
In an interview Wednesday with the podcast "Just the Sip" as well as on "E! Daily Pop," the reality TV star revealed the shocking news that she is exiting the VH1 series.
"I am no longer going to do 'Basketball Wives'" she told host Justin Sylvester. "I think that it's time for me to open up the universe to other things."
While admitting that it was a “hard decision,” Lozada ultimately decided to leave the show, citing the “heavy” toll it took on her well-being.
“It's not the most positive energy,” Lozada explained, noting that her last few seasons have been difficult. “Now I have a conscience about what I say and what I do and what my kids are going to see.”
“It's time. It's been time,” she added.
In Season 8, castmate Ogom Chijindu claimed Lozada's ex-husband Chad Johnson romantically pursued her — which resulted in Lozada filing a defamation lawsuit against Chijindu in 2019.
In Season 9, Lozada and her costars were forced to film under strict COVID-19 safety rules.
“It was such a short season, but it was stressful,” Lozada remarked.
While Lozada has no plans to return to the series — “I want to take all my energy out of it” — she is expressing interest in joining the cast of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” which stars our very own Garcelle Beauvais!
“That's the only one I would probably do,” Lozada said about “RHOBH.”
Lozada appeared on “Basketball Wives” since Season 1 and took time away from the series to film her OWN show “Livin' Lozada,” which aired for two seasons from July 2015 to June 2016. Lozada eventually returned to “Basketball Wives” full-time in 2017.
Prior to marrying Johnson, Lozada was engaged to NBA player Antoine Walker before their split in 2009.
Onwards and upwards, Evelyn!