Shaquille O’Neal is a larger-than-life basketball legend who has left an indelible mark on and off the court.
The four-time NBA champion is arguably the most dominant big man in the history of the sport, but his dominance also extends to the world of business and investments.
‘The Big Diesel’ has a reported net worth of $500 million but it’s been a long road to get there.
Shaq first gained national recognition in college as a member of the LSU Tigers before being selected No. 1 overall by the Orlando Magic in the 1992 NBA Draft.
O’Neal’s first NBA contract was a four-year deal worth $17.4 million – relative peanuts to what rookies like Victor Wembanyama make in today’s game.
Shaq’s next NBA contract was game-changer. After Jerry West cleared house to make room for ‘The Big Fella’, O’Neal signed a seven-year, $120 million deal signed on July 18, 1996 — at the time the biggest contract in sports history.
He later signed a three-year extension with the Lakers worth over $88 million and a $100 million deal with the Miami Heat, the team he won his final NBA championship with.
All in all, Shaq made an estimated $286 million across his Hall of Fame career, which included three Finals MVPs, the 2000 MVP, fifteen All-Star selections and fourteen All-NBA honors.
O’Neal is currently No. 9 in salary earnings in NBA history but made the vast amount of his wealth away from the hardwood.
The 52-year-old has made a number of savvy moves and smart investments that have made him a bona fide business mogul.
Shaq’s instantly recognizable name and look, combined with his big personality, saw him become a marketer’s dream.
He has appeared in numerous films and television shows — 1996’s Kazaam being the most (in)famous — and released rap albums, including Shaq Diesel, which went platinum.
‘The Big Aristotle’ also has a burgeoning DJ career and currently serves as an analyst on beloved basketball show ‘Inside the NBA’ – for which he receives a reported $10 million per year in salary.
O’Neal has endorsed everything down the years, from video games to fast food restaurants and car insurance companies.
He has lucrative brand deals with the likes of PepsiCo, Icy Hot, DraftKings, NBA 2K, Wheaties, JCPenny, and many, many more.
The 7ft legend is also the president of basketball operations for Reebok, with fellow NBA icon Allen Iverson serving as vice president.
Moreover, Shaq has built a successful investment portfolio, which includes ownership stakes in companies like Google, Papa John’s, and a variety of franchise businesses.
In 2019, Shaq joined the board of directors for Papa John’s and invested in nine franchises in Atlanta. He also became the face of the brand, significantly boosting its image. The deal was worth a reported $8 million.
He also owns a Krispy Kreme franchise in Atlanta and co-founded Big Chicken, a Louisiana-style fried chicken sandwich chain.
Shaq has invested in car washes, health clubs, Las Vegas nightclubs and, at one point in time, owned 155 Five Guys franchises, roughly 10 percent of all Five Guys locations.
He’s also invested in real estate in Orlando and Newark and was a minority owner of the Sacramento Kings from 2013 to 2021.
However, one of his most famous wins came when he invested in the home security company Ring.
According to reports, what started as a practical purchase — he needed a security system for his home — turned into a lucrative investment.
After spotting Ring cameras at Best Buy, Shaq installed the system himself and was so impressed that he sought out the company’s CEO and invested.
A few years later, Amazon purchased Ring for $1 billion, and Shaq enjoyed a serious return on his initial investment.
Despite being retired since 2011, Shaq still earns around $60 million per year from endorsements and business endeavours.
Incredibly, he earns more in retirement than he ever made in a single year in the NBA.
Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Magic Johnson may be billionaires, but no player in the history of the NBA has maximised their personal brand quite like Shaq, and his bank account proves it.
