Shaquille O’Neal’s Net Worth is $400 Million
Shaquille O’Neal, or “Shaq” to his legions of fans, is a living legend in basketball, and he’s got the bank account to prove it. With a mind-blowing $400 million net worth, the big man is not just killing it on the court, he’s killing it in the board room. How did Shaq go from dunking like a machine to scoring huge deals left, right, and center? Let’s break it down.
| Profession | Retired Professional Basketball Player, Businessman, and Entertainer |
| Net Worth | $400 Million |
| Birthday | March 6, 1972 (Pisces) |
| Nationality | American |
| Height / Weight | 7 ft 1 in (216 cm) |
| Relationship Status | Divorced (Shaunie O’Neal) |
Shaquille O’Neal was born in 1972, in Newark, New Jersey. He became a known quantity and on the road to fame when he joined Louisiana State University (LSU) and played under the watchful eye of coach Dale Brown. It took little time for the rest of the basketball world to take notice as he snagged the consensus College Player of the Year award in 1991 and made waves as one of the best young players in the U.S.
So it came as no surprise when, in 1992, the Orlando Magic made Shaq the first overall pick in the NBA draft. Despite the hype, O’Neal delivered. He scooped up the NBA Rookie of the Year title in the 1992-93 season and helped the Magic make moves all the way to the NBA Finals in 1995. Even though they lost to the Houston Rockets, it was crystal clear that Shaq was the real deal.
In 1996, Shaq added an Olympic gold medal to his collection, repping Team USA on the basketball court. Later that year, he joined the Los Angeles Lakers and the late Kobe Bryant. Coach Phil Jackson joined the mix, helping Shaq take his defense, rebounding, and free-throw game to the next level. The dynamic duo went on to lead the Lakers to a three-peat, bagging championship trophies from 2000 to 2002 and snagging Finals MVP awards.
Shaq then joined the Miami Heat in 2004 and found a new dance partner in Dwyane Wade. Together they brought an NBA championship to Florida in 2006. Though he played with a few other teams before calling it quits in 2011, Shaquille O’Neal’s legendary status on the court was confirmed before he moved on and played for the Phoenix Suns, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Boston Celtics, which is where he retired in 2011. So it was a given that in 2016, he’d find his rightful place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Shaq’s Epic NBA Journey to a Mega Bank Account: Revenue From His Main Career
Shaquille O’Neal not only earned championships from his basketball career, he earned a crazy income. His NBA contracts alone brought in a jaw-dropping $292 million since he joined the league in 1992.
Shaq’s time with the Lakers from 1996 to 2004 in particular was pure gold—in more ways than one. With superstar buddy Kobe Bryant by his side, they were an unstoppable duo. That’s probably why Shaq scored a cool $88.4 million from a three-year contract extension with the Lakers. He leveraged that success into an eventual contract with the Miami Heat, a five-year deal worth $100 million.
Shaq’s World: Crushing it in Business, Investments and Endorsements
Shaq has made the most of all the cool business opportunities that have come his way. He has racked up a whopping $600 million from endorsing everything from Pepsi and Reebok to Buick and Gold Bond. Yes, the man is larger than life, standing at over seven feet tall, but he is also incredibly charismatic, which explains why he is so successful in front of the camera.
You may think his name is synonymous with basketball but you could hardly be at fault for associating him more with franchising. At one point he had his hands on 40 24-Hour Fitness gyms, 150 car washes, 155 Five Guys Burger & Fries joints, nine Papa John’s spots, 17 Auntie Anne’s pretzel shops, and even some Krispy Kreme restaurants.
He is also incredibly startup savvy, seeing the value in such now-monumental companies as Google, Lyft, Ring, and Vitaminwater. Actually, he did so well with Google that he’s bummed he didn’t invest even more! He’s also served as the brand ambassador for Apple and Ring, proving that he can work his magic in the business world as well as on the court.
Shaq’s Swanky Stuff & His Big Heart: A Peek Into His Riches and Philanthropy
Shaquille O’Neal is very, very rich and, as such, possesses some very, very nice things — from fancy houses to slick automobiles. Not too long ago, Shaq added to his roster of homes with a posh Euro-style mansion in the Dallas suburbs. Though the amount spent on the house is unknown, it was last listed for $1.22 million. For that amount, Shaq gets a 5,300 square feet containing five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a library, a theatre, and lagoon-style pool out back.
Shaq also sold his massive Florida palace – the “Shaq-apulco” pad – for a whopping $11 million. This monster of a house sprawled over 31,000 square feet and three acres, rocked 12 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, an epic indoor basketball court, a recording studio, and a 6,000-square-foot garage to show off his cars.
Speaking of which, Shaq’s got himself quite a collection, which features classics and modern beauties like a ’72 Chevy Impala, a ’69 Chevy Camaro, a ’70 Plymouth Road Runner, a 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, and a swanky 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Oh, and his wild, custom-built, Batman-themed Polaris Slingshot.
But as big as his car collection is, Shaq also has a big heart. He is committed to giving back, having established the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation, which helps at-risk kids and struggling communities. Shaq’s supported Newark’s police force, provided thousands of families with turkeys over the holidays, and lent a hand and a dollar to groups that strive to provide education, health, and wellness initiatives to those who need it most.
Shaq Attack: A Peek into the Not-So-Average Personal Life of Shaquille O’Neal
In matters of the heart, Shaq hit it off with Shaunie O’Neal in 1998 when she was working as an executive producer for the NBA on TNT. They got married in 2002 and had four children before separating in 2007. Despite finalizing the divorce in 2011, the pair maintain a healthy co-parenting relationship. They even work together on the reality show “Basketball Wives”.
Shaq is now father to six kids from four different relationships. His eldest daughter, Taahirah (her mother is an old girlfriend of Shaq), earned her diploma from Oglethorpe University, and his oldest son, Shareef, is dominating the court at LSU. Myles (Shaunie’s son from a previous relationship) plays for Texas Southern University. The youngest trio—Me’arah, Amirah, and Shaqir—are from his marriage to Shaunie and even though they’re still in school, they’re a huge part of Shaq’s world.
Shaq’s Wild Skies: That Time He (Almost) Got in Trouble with the FAA
In 2009, Shaquille O’Neal’s shining record was tarnished slightly when he was accused of faking a Mayday call on his private jet just so he could zoom into the Atlanta NBA All-Star weekend on time. The FAA did not approve. When confronted, Shaq did not deny the accusations and paid the $1,000 fine.
