Shaquille O’Neal, often nicknamed Shaq, is a retired American professional basketball player who is currently an analyst on the television program Inside the NBA.
Standing at 7 ft 1 in tall, weighing 325 pounds, and hailing from Newark, New Jersey, this big man was one of the most dominating centers in NBA history. In his 19 year career with several teams, he earned four NBA championships as well as three NBA Finals MVP awards, one regular season MVP award, and was also named to 15 All-Star games, winning the All-Star MVP award twice.
NBA career
Born in Newark, New Jersey on March 6th, 1972 Shaquille O’Neal is a retired American professional basketball player who currently co-hosts Inside the NBA on TNT.
He was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the first overall pick in 1992. He spent his first seven seasons with the Magic before being traded to Los Angeles Lakers where he played four seasons. During this time he won three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002.
In 2004, he signed as a free agent with Miami Heat for one season and then returned for another stint with the Lakers for two seasons before finishing his career back in Miami from 2008 to 2011.
He led the league in scoring during the 1995–96 season and broke various records including most blocks per game (3.68) and most points scored in a single game (71).
He also led both teams of 2017 NBA All-Star Game in points, rebounds, assists, and steals which made him the only player ever to do so.
His nicknames include The Big Aristotle, The Big Baby Bear, The Big Galoot and Shaq Diesel. He is married to Shaunie O’Neal (former WNBA Player) and they have four children together: Shareefa, Amirah , Me’arah and Tiaura. His Net Worth is $400 million dollars.
Entertainment career
His movies include Kazaam, Blue Chips with Nick Nolte, and he sang on the soundtracks for Steel. Over the past few years, he has had the chance to take on many different sorts of jobs in the film and TV world, ranging from a guest spot on Southland to starring in his own TV pilot in 2015.
And last year, he found himself headlining Uncle Drew alongside Kyrie Irving, Tiffany Haddish, and more former NBA players.
Read also: The Foundation of John D. Rockefeller’s 400 Billion Dollar .
Business ventures
Aiming to expand his business footprint, Shaquille O’Neal earned a Master of Business Administration from Barry University in 2005 and went on to earn a doctorate in education from the same institution in 2012.
After becoming a minority owner of the Sacramento Kings in 2013, he became general manager of their esports team.
Shaquille O’Neal invested in NRG Esports in 2016. In 2019, he became a brand ambassador for Papa John’s and joined their board of directors for the first time.
Shaquille O’Neal is also prominently involved in the restaurant industry, having purchased a Krispy Kreme in Atlanta and opened his own Southern cuisine restaurant in Los Angeles. O’Neal additionally owns an art studio in Miami where he regularly hosts exhibitions. His personal net worth has been estimated at over $400 million
Awards & Achievements
Shaquille O’Neal was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. He is one of only four players to ever win NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP and Olympic gold medal in the same year (2000). In 2008, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
O’Neal has also been honored with a statue outside Staples Center on Sunset Boulevard as part of The Legend Continues statue series.
In 1996,Shaquille O’Neal released his debut rap album You Can’t Stop The Reign. It peaked at number thirty-three on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and sold over 500,000 copies domestically with help from Dr Dre who produced three songs on it.
