Shaquille O'Neal conquered the basketball court with brute strength and unmatched charisma. However, his life outside the NBA is even more fascinating and bizarre. He explores every passion, whether it involves spinning records or fighting crime. Furthermore, his business moves made him wealthier than his basketball contracts ever did. Consequently, he remains a cultural icon long after his retirement. Dive into these surprising details about the man they call "The Big Aristotle."
Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal made a fortune by investing in Google before it became famous. Remarkably, he got the opportunity because he babysat a venture capitalist’s children at a hotel.
He earned a real doctorate in education, not just an honorary degree. Because the university required a full class, he paid for 15 friends to take the course with him.+
You might know him as a sports analyst, but he also tours the world as DJ Diesel. He started DJing at age 14 after seeing Public Enemy perform live.
Amazingly, he holds the record for the largest single purchase in Walmart history. He spent $70,000 in one night on furniture and computers for his new apartment.
His feet are truly massive, measuring a staggering size 22. Therefore, he often has to custom order his shoes or buy them from specialized manufacturers.
During his career, he shattered backboards with his powerful dunks. In fact, he claims to have a “broken rim tree” at home made of 19 destroyed hoops.
At one point, Shaquille O’Neal owned 155 Five Guys franchise locations. This investment gave him ownership of roughly ten percent of the entire burger chain.
He also owned 17 Auntie Anne’s pretzel shops but eventually sold them all. Hilariously, he admitted he sold them simply because “Black people don’t like pretzels that much.”
Beyond business, he takes law enforcement very seriously and serves as a reserve police officer. He has actually gone on raids and patrols in cities like Los Angeles and Miami.
He is the only athlete in history to release a platinum-selling rap album. His debut record, Shaq Diesel, sold over one million copies in the early nineties.
Despite scoring thousands of points, he made only one three-pointer in his entire career. He attempted 22 shots from deep but only connected on a single lucky buzzer-beater.
He famously threw his 1996 Olympic gold medal out of a car window. He felt angry about playing limited minutes in the final game, so he discarded the prize.
He owns the historic Krispy Kreme store on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta. When a fire destroyed the building, he promised to rebuild it even bigger than before.
He turned down a chance to invest early in Starbucks for a specific reason. He mistakenly believed that “Black people don’t drink coffee,” calling it his worst business regret.
Finally, he spent his first million dollars in roughly 45 minutes. He immediately bought three luxury cars for himself and his parents, nearly going broke instantly.
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