What is Shaquille O’ Neal’s Net Worth?
| Net Worth | $400 Million |
| Source of Wealth | Professional Basketball, Business |
| Date of Birth | March 6, 1972 |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 7’1 / 216 cm |
| Place of Birth | Newark, New Jersey, United States |
| Star Sign | Pisces |
| Religion | Islam |
| Partner | Shaunie Nelson (d. 2011) |
The Usual Intro
Shaquille O’Neal is famously known as a former American professional basketball player. He is considered one of the best centers of all time and boasts an impressive, award-winning career in the NBA.
Shaq has undertaken many endeavors apart from basketball – he successfully established himself as a sports analyst, commentator, entrepreneur, and a media personality.
Before the Spotlight
Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal was born on March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey. His father, Joe Toney, was a star basketball player back in his day. However, he was imprisoned soon after O’Neal’s birth for the illegal possession of drugs.
After being released from prison, Toney decided not to become a part of his son’s life and gave up his parental rights to Shaq’s stepfather. O’Neal’s relationship with his father remained strained for most of his early life, with O’Neal even denouncing him in one of his musical releases. The two reconciled in 2016, with O’Neal telling Toney, “I don’t hate you.” He also credited his stepfather Phil for being there for him.
Shaq belong to an exceptionally tall family. His father and mother were 6’1 and 6’2, respectively. At the age of 13, Shaq was already 6’6 tall. He grew 4 inches more in three years and stood 6’10 tall by the age 16.
While O’Neal had started playing basketball on the streets as a hobby, he started playing at a competitive level at the Robert G. Cole High School. His team had a record of 68 wins to 1 loss. O’Neal then enrolled at the Louisiana State University, where he chose business for his undergraduate studies. Shaq continued to play at the highest level, winning several significant awards and readying himself for the NBA draft.
The Journey to Success
Shaq was first drafted into the NBA by Orlando Magic in 1992. His physical stature and intimidating presence favored him during his play in the NBA, often allowing him to overpower his opponents. Shaq started off strong, winning the prestigious Player of The Week Award in his very first week.
Shaq continued to play with Orlando Magic until 1996, when he was released by the team and became a free agent. Shortly after, he was signed by the Los Angeles Lakers under a 7-year, $121 million contract. Keeping up his stellar performance on the court, Shaq played with the Lakers without a hitch until 2002, when he missed most of the season because he underwent toe surgery for degenerative arthritis.
In 2004, after an unsatisfactory performance and rising tensions with the team’s management, Shaq requested a trade and was sent to the Miami Heat. After showing an impressive comeback in terms of performance, Shaq signed with them for $100 million over 5 years. Interestingly, this enormous sum was equal to peanuts for an A-class athlete like Shaquille O’Neal, whose supporters considered him to be worth much more. Shaq played with Miami Heat until 2008, at which point he was traded over to the Pheonix Suns after underperforming in the latest season. He stuck with the Suns for only a year before being traded over once again, this time to the Cleveland Carriers in 2009.
In 2010, Shaq signed with the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately, his career came to an anticlimactic halt as he wasn’t able to perform at the same level due to injuries to his right leg. Despite receiving a shot of cortisone for acute pain relief, Shaq only stayed on the court for a few minutes. He announced his retirement from the NBA in 2011.
Throughout his career, Shaq scored 28,596 points, which places him at the 7th spot for the highest total points scored by any basketball player at his retirement.
Shaq is an active businessman. He has a history of investing in stocks, companies, and real estate. He owns restaurants, car washes, fitness centers, and some nightclubs, all of which contribute to his multimillion-dollar net worth.
Shaq was an analyst for the T.V. show “Inside the NBA.” He also produces electronic music under the stage name “DIESEL.”
The Best Moments
- Shaq became the only person to be awarded ‘Player of the Week’ in their first week of being drafted in the NBA in 1992.
- Shaquille O’Neal received the NBA champion award four times in his career (2000, 2001, 2002, and 2006).
- Shaq received 15 all-star game selections during his career.
- In 2016, O’Neal was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Private Side
Shaq married Shaunie Nelson on December 26th, 2002. The two divorced in 2009 due to personal reasons. He has five children in total, four from Shaunie Nelson and one from his previous partner Arnetta Yardbourgh.
Shaq dated twice after his divorce. He dated TV star Nicole Alexander from 2010 to 2012 and model Laticia Rolle from 2014 to 2018.
Shaquille O’Neal’s Related Youtube Video
Famous Quotes of Shaquille O’Neal
Here are some inspiring quotes from one of the best centers and highest scorers in basketball history:
- “Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do”
- “Y’all reporters like my quotes, don’t you. Yeah, my quotes are Shaqalicious.”
- “I’m short and to the point.”
The Social World
Shaquille O’Neal is currently active on major social media platforms. Here are the links to his official accounts and his current following stats:
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Leading an excellent career in basketball, television, and business, these are some of the most important lessons we can learn from Shaquille O’Neal’s life:
- Investing. Shaq is an active investor and frequently discusses business and investment strategies on social media.
- Hard work. Shaq combined his genetic advantage and talent with hard work to become one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
- Humility. Shaq has devoted a great deal of time, money, and attention to charity and welfare.
- Diversifying. Shaq has branched out into multiple industries. Estimates suggest that he makes more today than he did while playing in the NBA.
The Unusual Stuff
Here are some interesting facts about Shaquille O’Neal you might not have known!
- Shaq has appeared in commercials for several famous companies, such as Pepsi, Reebok, Hulu, and Papa John’s.
- Shaquille O’Neal voted for the first time in 2020 for presidential candidate Joe Biden.
- O’Neal was sworn in as a Sheriff’s deputy in Jonesboro, Georgia in 2016.
- Shaq spent his first $1 million NBA salary in 30 minutes.
Answering Frequent Questions
What is Shaquille O’Neal’s shoe size?
Shaq’s shoe size is 23. For reference, most NBA players have a shoe size of 13 to 14.
Does Shaq Own Five Guys?
Shaq owned 155 Five Guys restaurants at his peak, which was about 10% of the company’s portfolio at the time. He claims to have sold his stake in 2016.
Did Shaq and Kobe Fight?
They had some beef which began in 2000 and peaked in 2004-2005 but was reconciled by 2009. Shaq shed some light on their history when Bryant died in 2020.
The Closing Remarks
Shaquille O’Neal is a massive, 7’1 former NBA player known for his physical stature and impressive performance in the field. He played in the NBA from 1992 to 2011, winning numerous accolades. Today, Shaq is most prominently recognized as a businessman, social media personality, podcaster, and show host. He is also known for his clever investment decisions which have increased his net worth after retiring from the NBA.
Featured image credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com
