Shaquille O’Neal: NBA Star Turned Business Tycoon
Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal, mostly known as Shaq, is a retired basketball player. He played for several teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in a career spanning close to two decades.
He played for a total of six NBA franchises namely Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heats, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics in that order.
The center is widely regarded as one of the best players to have graced the NBA. Since calling time on his career, he has made appearances as a sports analyst on various networks. He is more known for his work on Inside NBA.
Early Life
Shaquille O’Neal was born to Joe Toney and Lucille O’Neal on March 6 1972 in Newark, New Jersey.
His birth father, Joe Toney played high school basketball and he was offered a scholarship to play for Seton Hall.
Growing up Shaquille’s father was not present in his life. He had constant run-ins with law enforcement which eventually led to his incarceration for drug possession. Following his release from the penitentiary, he gave up his parental right to Phillip Arthur Harrison.
The Young O’Neal took an interest in basketball in his childhood, and he has praised the Boys and Girls Club of America for setting him on the right path.
Education
In the years before getting into high school, Shaquille moved with his parents to Germany and Texas where his stepfather was stationed as an Army sergeant. After he and his family settled in Texas.
After he settled in Texas with his family, the young Shaquille attended Robert. G. Cole High School where he began showing off his talents on the court. He became an important player on the school’s basketball roster.
He led the school to a 68-1 record in two years and was instrumental in the school claiming the State championship in his senior year.
In his time in high school, he set a record of 791 rebounds in the 1989 season which still stands to date.
After his high school education, O’Neal enrolled at the Louisiana State University where he studied business. And of course, he was shoo-in for the school’s basketball team given his antecedents in the sports and his talents.
However, O’Neal dropped out of college early to get his NBA career started. Nevertheless, he left his mark on collegiate basketball. The future Orlando Magic star was named College Player of the Year in 1991.
NBA Career
After cutting short his college career to move up the ranks to the NBA, O’Neal was drafted by the Orlando Magic as the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft.
The Newark New Jersey native would go on to prove his mettle and his readiness to compete in the NBA by winning the NBA Player of the Week in his first week in the NBA, becoming the first player to achieve that feat.
Following his stellar performance in his first season, he was named the Rookie of the Year in 1993, and the first new player to be voted an All-Star starter since Michael Jordan eight years prior.
After three years of meritorious service for the Orlando Magic, O’Neil became a free agent, and he subsequently signed the biggest contract in the history of the NBA to join the Los Angeles Lakers.
The center pocketed $120 million for a seven-year contract with the Lakers. That summer, he helped the United States Dream Team win Olympic Gold in Atlanta in 1996.
He would go on to win three consecutive NBA titles between 2000 and 2002. He also made a final appearance in 2004.
By 2010, O’Neal had been named a three-time All-NBA Third Team, two-time All-NBA Second Team, and in 1998, he was finally named in the All-NBA First Team. Seven more All-NBA nominations would follow before eventually being named the Most Valuable Player in the league in 2000.
Transition to Business
During his active playing days, O’Neal never jettisoned education and he did get a degree in Business Administration from Barry University Florida in 2005.
Since retiring, the NBA legend has spent time expanding his business empire and he is widely regarded as a role model for life after sports.
The former LA Lakers Center owns a lot of businesses including Gyms, Car washes, Restaurants, and many types of business ventures across the landscape of the United States. O’Neal also has investments in the fashion and Movie industry.
As far as endorsements go, he has various partnerships with brands from various industries most notably the sports wagering industry. In 2021, O’Neal was named a brand Ambassador for WynnBet.
Since then, he has been featured in various ads for the Sportsbook promoting the offerings of the betting site including the new player sign up offer.
His association with Wynn Resort, the operator of WynnBet, has placed him at the forefront of promoting their sign up bonus in many states where the Sportsbook operates.
His association with WynnBet resonated even more with New Jersey residents as a result of his close ties with the state where he hails from.
More than anywhere else, he was central to promoting the sign up offer of the sportsbook as one of the best NJ promos in his home state of New Jersey before they ceased operations in the Garden State.
Net Worth
In terms of net worth, the iconic basketball figure is reportedly worth a staggering $400 million as of 2023. The Newark New Jersey native had a successful NBA career, with more success from brand endorsements, and punditry.
From all indications, the basketball legend is not planning to stop expanding his business empires, as it has been reported that he is looking to expand his business portfolio further in the coming years.
