During his 19-year NBA career, Shaquille O'Neal was one of the most dominant big the league had ever seen. At 7-foot-1 and well over 300 pounds, Shaq was an unstoppable force teams could only HOPE to contain.
When you're as good of a player as O'Neal was, you're bound to make some money — $295 million to be exact. Despite spending his first million in a span of 60 minutes, Shaq was able to avoid the haunting statistic that over 60 percent of athletes go broke within five years of leaving their sport.
O'Neal was once quoted saying “It's not about how much money you make. the question is are you educated enough to keep it?” And since his retirement in 2011, Shaq has not only maintained his wealth but greatly expanded it.
Recent estimates place Shaq's net worth at around $400 million with the Big Diesel earning approximately $60 million yearly off of endorsements and business ventures.
In March of 2019, O'Neal announced he would join the board of directors at Papa John's as well as sign a three-year endorsement deal as the company's brand ambassador — a deal he is making over $8 million a year on.
Shaq is also a sportscaster on the popular “NBA on TNT” program. Furthermore, with a recognizable name, face, a comedic personality and pension for the limelight, O'Neal has become the perfect spokesperson for company's across America.
Through education and savvy business, Shaq has invested his money and as a result, expanding his wealth. The former big man reportedly owns 40 24-hour Fitnesses', 150 car washes, 17 Auntie Anne's, a Krispy Kreme, various other franchises and at one point, 155 Five Guys restaurants — 10 percent of the company's entire portfolio.
O'Neal has also invested in various tech companies and was even an early investor in Google — a multi-billion dollar company that he still owns stock in.
Most people have seen Shaq in commercials for company's like Gold Bond, The General car insurance and Buick just to name a few. While most NBA players mismanage the money they earn either during or after their careers, O'Neal has gone the other way and is now making significantly more money than he did dominating the paint and breaking backboards.
Despite being the third highest paid player in NBA history for a career, Shaq has invested his money extremely well and is now trying to give advice and tips to success to the current generation of NBA athletes.
“I would simplify it for them. I would do what one of my friends did to me. I would take a $100 bill and rip it in half. And I'd say “$50, don't even look at it. Don't look at it,” O'Neal told Business Insider
“Now, this other $50 you can play with. Do whatever you want. But if you're smart, you'll rip this $50 up and you save that. And now this $25, do whatever you want. You want a house, 10,000 square feet? Do it. You want cars? Do it, but keep it right here.”
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