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What businesses does Shaq own? The NBA legend has made a small fortune with his business ventures over the years.
Shaquille O’Neal’s reputation as one of the greatest basketball players in history and a physical freak of nature has long been cemented. That being said, Shaq has taken on numerous other positions as a businessman and philanthropist since dominating the floor, many of which are as unrelated to basketball as it is possible to get.
The NBA All-Star is giving fans an unparalleled peek at his life away from basketball in his reality television series Shaq Life, and many are just astounded by the sheer number of enterprises in which Shaq has stakes. What businesses does Shaq own, then? Who is he now conducting business with?
The Big Diesel always enjoyed himself, but he was aware that money isn’t designed to be spent mindlessly. Instead, he used his fame to become a very marketable athlete and earn as much money as possible. The legendary Los Angeles Lakers player then utilized all of his earnings to expand them, amassing millions upon millions. He is currently thought to be worth $400 million, making him one of the wealthiest NBA players ever.
Shaq joined the business sector and took certain decisions that paid off since he is fully aware of the fact that money never sleeps. He currently owns a number of businesses, including some you may not associate with a former professional athlete.
Understanding Shaq’s portfolio of businesses will provide you insight into a real financial genius. Shaq explained how he came to have such a significant current financial worth and what company ventures helped him get there in a 2021 interview with Earn Your Leisure.
Though The General, Gold Bond, Icy Hot, and Buick come to mind when thinking about Shaq’s business ventures outside of basketball, the star used the interview as an opportunity to highlight other noteworthy companies that he is currently investing in and that have contributed to his current wealth.
“I don’t want to seem like I’m bragging, but I have a question for you. Who is Marilyn Monroe’s owner? Who is Elvis Presley’s owner? Who is Forever 21’s owner? Who is JCPenney’s owner? Me!” Shaq said during the interview in a very matter-of-fact manner. The basketball player continued by saying that since he has retired from playing, owning other businesses is now his major line of work but did not specify what proportion he owns.
“I own 50 brands, which is my main business,” he said. “I contacted the three organizations that gave individuals the ability to live forever, and they purchased my brand for a sizable sum of money. I decided to invest half of that money back into the business, and as a result, I’m now the No. 2 employee.”
O’Neal has also worked as a franchisee for a number of well-known restaurant chains. 10% of the company’s overall franchise portfolio, or 155 Five Guys Burgers shops, were under his ownership at one point or another. In addition, he owns nine Papa John’s franchise locations and 17 Auntie Anne’s Pretzels locations. In reality, O’Neal has been on the board of directors of the pizza firm since 2019 and serves as a brand ambassador for Papa John’s.
It’s also important to point you that Shaq is a tremendously successful DJ who frequently performs as DJ Diesel at renowned international events like Tomorrowland. O’Neal has invested in several franchises, but his current preference appears to be Krispy Kreme. The celebrity, who claimed to have been exposed to the doughnut in college, intends to play a significant role in the company, according to his WSJ interview. The famous person claims to possess a few Krispy Kreme franchises and is searching for more.
According to celebrity net worth.com, Shaquille O’Neal has a net worth of about $400 million. He is renowned for having spent the first $1 million of his NBA paycheck in 30 minutes and for having made the biggest Walmart buy ever.
Since then, Shaq has made a lot of shrewd investments. For instance, he invested $5 million for a 1% ownership in the Sacramento Kings of the NBA in 2013. He held onto this investment for eight years until being able to sell his 1% for $11 million in 2021.
Throughout his NBA career, Shaq made $292 million in salaries and an additional $200 million in endorsements. His considerable wealth has enabled him to build an extraordinary collection of properties. In addition to a residence in Bel Canyon, Los Angeles, he also owns a 15-acre estate in a suburb of Atlanta.
In January 2021, Shaq sold his 35,000 square foot Orlando residence with a 17-car garage and an indoor basketball court for $16.5 million.
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