SHAQUILLE O’NEAL is one of the most recognizable athletes to ever play any sport – given his incredible size, skill and larger than life personality.
But while the NBA Hall of Famer comes across as a joker and clown on TV he actually has an incredible business brain.
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His smart investments and maximizing his brand to attract numerous endorsement deals have allowed Diesel to amass personal wealth and a business portfolio worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Here, SunSport looks at how Shaq – who made $300 million during his playing career – has continued to grow his fortune long after retiring from the game.
Tech Investor
Shaq has been an early investor in the likes of Google, AI firm ChatGPT, taxi company Lyft and Ring doorbells.
He was introduced to Silicone Valley ‘super angel’ Ron Conway in 1999, with the billionaire venture capitalist still offering him advice on investments to this day.
Shaq told Forbes: “If a guy like Ron says ‘I like it’, I check into it. If he says I don’t like it, I stay away from it.
“It’s good to have a respectable team that you know is smarter than you.”
Franchise Owner
Shaq has owned hundreds of different restaurant chains over the years, including Papa John’s, Five Guys and Krispy Kreme and launched his own restaurant – Big Chicken – in 2023.
The Louisiana-style restaurant is in 18 locations, including Las Vegas and across Tenneessee.
Shaq also owns around 150 car washes and a number of gymnasiums.
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Real Estate
It was revealed earlier this year that Shaq owns at least nine large properties with huge pockets of land across the US.
He owns four separate properties in McDonough, Georgia, which could indicate a plan to combine them into one large estate.
Other properties include a 6,400-square-foot house in Sugar Land, Texas, a 4,800-square-foot house in Las Vegas and a five bedroom house in Dallas.
Shaq also sold his Florida mansion for around $16.5m in 2021.
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Media
Shaq remains one of the most popular talking heads on TV, with TNT Sport’s Inside the NBA winning more almost 20 Emmy’s over the years.
However, that deal is worth a reported $10m per season but expires in 2025 – with Shaq said to be ‘frustrated’ over talks about a new deal, especially with the show moving from TNT to ESPN.
As well as that role, Shaq has numerous other media ventures – including The Big Podcast and a production company, Jersey Legends Productions.
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DJ Diesel
While his rap career is long behind him, Shaq still regularly appears in front of large crowds as a DJ.
In 2023, DJ Diesel performed in front of more than 100,000 people at Lollapalooza.
He also runs festivals and has Ludacris headlining at his own festival – Shaq’s Fun House – in New Orleans in February 2025.
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Endorsement Deals
Well, where do we start with this…
As Charles Barkley famously once quipped: “Shaq got no shame. Zero. There is no doubt in my mind he is going to do tampons any day.
“It is just a matter of time.”
Shaq has endorsed everything and appeared in commercials for dozens and dozens of different brands – from food and restaurants, to cereal boxes, entertainment and sports brands and everything in between.
His most famous deals include Icy Hot – which has been going for more than two decades – printing cartridges, RadioShack and Pepsi.
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Reebok
That brings us to arguably his most famous endorsement – with sportswear brand Reebok, which famously gave him a signature shoe when he was one of the faces of the league.
Shaq first entered a deal with Reebok in 1992 and shoes such as the Shaq Attaq and Shaqnosis remain two of the most popular shoes for kicks fans to this day.
However, Shaq split from the company in 1998 after a mother approached him and said his shoes were too expensive.
Leaving $40million on the table, Shaq then started his own affordable ‘Dunk Man’ brand which are sold in Walmart for a much more affordable price than rival brands.
He revealed in 2021: “That day, I cut ties with Reebok, I said keep the money… this ain’t right. I’ll still wear the shoes I do during the season, but I’ll be looking to do my own thing.
“So, I started the Shaq brand. I went to my favorite store, Walmart, and we did a deal.”
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He added: “I was in all stores and my price point for the shoes were $19-$29, and since then we sold over 400 million pairs.
“It’s not that kids don’t want to wear $20 shoes. They don’t want to wear shoes that look like they cost $20.”
Shaq has since returned to Reebok as President of Basketball with the company releasing their first shoe in over a decade, with Angel Reese the new face of the company.
Charity
As well as building considerable net worth and a vast business empire, Shaq is also one of the most charitable athletes around.
That was shown in his shoe deal but Shaq is also head of The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation, which helps underprivileged kids reach their full potential.
This includes his annual Shaq-a-Claus, which sees him giving away thousands of toys at Christmas, and the Shaq-to-School program, which provides basic school supplies to kids.
There are also numerous stories of him leaving huge tips at restaurants and purchasing items for strangers while he is out shopping – including an engagement ring.
