Shaquille O’Neal, known as Shaq, is a Former Professional NBA Player and a legend who works as a sports analyst on Inside the NBA (TV Program). When Shaq was at his best, they referred him to The Diesel, Superman, etc. Shaq played for six teams between 1992 and 2011, including the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and Boston Celtics.
He won four NBA championships, achieved MVP of the Finals three times, and received one MVP award during the regular season.
With his professional success, he has earned an enormous amount of money both while playing and in his current role as a sports analyst. According to reports, we expect Shaq to have a net worth of $400 million as of 2023, which makes him one of the richest NBA players. Shaq made most of his money from his NBA career, during which he earned a total of $292 million in salary.
He boasts multiple endorsement deals while playing in the NBA and even after his retirement with brands like PepsiCo, Icy Hot, NBA 2K, Taco Bell, Wheaties, and JCPenney. Shaq makes around $60 million a year from endorsements and different business ventures.
1994 Shaquille O’Neal in only his 2nd season:
29/13/2/2.9 blocks, 60% FG.
“Baby Shaq” came into the League NBA-Ready. pic.twitter.com/Ma0Lq0xhQD
— The NBA Realist (@nbarealist23) October 9, 2023
In addition to owning numerous franchises of companies like Papa John’s and Auntie Anne’s, he has invested in several businesses, including Apple and Google. To increase his income, he has also released several albums and appeared in many films and television programs. Additionally, he has owned several expensive homes, such as a $2.5 million house in Atlanta and a $28 million mansion in Florida.
Shaquille O’Neal first-ever NBA contract
The Orlando Magic drafted Shaq with the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. O’Neal averaged 23.4 points on 56.2% shooting, 13.9 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game during his rookie campaign.
He spent some time learning under Magic Johnson in Los Angeles before making the move to Orlando, after which he played his rookie season. After averaging an All-Star double-double and being selected as an All-Star starter, O’Neal became an instant sensation.
Shaquille O’Neal’s first-ever NBA contract was $3 million, which surely was a big deal for Shaq and also it was an enormous amount of money for a rookie player. Shaq played 4 seasons for Orlando Magic, where he played 295 games for the Magic and averaged 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks. He also earned $17,400,000 while playing for Magic in those four years.
When his four years with Magic came to an end, he wanted an even better contract. But Orlando rejected O’Neal’s demands of Magic. Instead, they made him a 7-year, $80 million offer. But Shaq had another plan, and they revealed that Hardaway wanted O’Neal to earn less money than him because he saw himself as the Magic’s leader. In 1996, he joined the Lakers with a 7-year contract of $121 million.