Shaquille O'Neal now has a reported net worth of $500 million and it was all because he made smart investments over the years. Unlike other NBA superstars, O'Neal began exploring the world of business while he was still an active player. One of the biggest investments he made was an investment in Google way back in the '90s.
As it stands, Google's parent company, Alphabet, is reportedly worth around the region of a staggering $3.04 trillion. In the '90s, nobody had an idea about what a search engine is and according to Zack O'Malley Greenburg, author of the book, "A-List Angels: How a Band of Actors, Artists, and Athletes Hacked Silicon Valley," Shaq got into Google by accident.
In his book, Greenburg vividly recalled how his conversation with O'Neal went down after witnessing Google's massive success. Unsurprisingly, Shaq wished he had invested more money at the time.
"He said, 'Shaq, I like you, I got something for you,'" O'Neal told Greenburg. "It was presented to me, I knew it was gonna hit. And I said, 'Wow, I'll try it.' My only regret is that I wish I would have bought more."
Shaq always starts with high figures
The amount of O'Neal's investment in Google was undisclosed. However, some reports claim the four-time NBA champion put in an initial $250,000 investment in the world-famous tech company. Based on that figure, the report estimated that Shaq's investment would've ballooned to approximately $16.5 million after a year.
It's totally understandable why O'Neal regretted not investing more money in Google. Not only because of how Google ended up being the biggest player in the industry, but also because Shaq knew what he's capable of when it comes to money decisions .
"It takes never having it to want it. And then once you get it, there's a window you can get more. My dream was to make $8 million for ten years. That was my dream in high school. I had it on the board. So then I'm in college one day and I think Derek Coleman signs for 20, Larry Johnson signs for 30. So when I get an agent, he said, 'Man, I'm going to ask for 50 million.' I was like, 'What?'" O'Neal once shared .
"But now when my time's up, I want 150, cause I learned in the marketing class, you always start high," he continued.
Shaq is a shrewd businessman now
As a true competitor, O'Neal did not let any mistake or wrong decision define his legacy. He applies exactly the same philosophy and approach in business.
O'Neal has long moved on from Google, even though he considers it one of his first major investments.
Since then, Shaq has built a business empire.
One of his most significant business moves so far is an over $135 million investment in Authentic Brands Group, a company that manages the trademark and intellectual property of some of the most iconic figures in the world.
Moreover, Shaq has also owned business franchises such as Papa John's, Auntie Anne's and Five Guys, among others. On top of that, he has also launched his own restaurant chain called "Big Chicken," which now has branches in more than 30 locations.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
