Shaquille O’Neal isn’t just a basketball legend, he’s built a business empire that’s just as dominant as his game. Retiring from the game didn’t slow the big guy down. Instead, he turned his focus to investments, and he has his hands on everything, from fast-food chains and shoes to tech startups. He left no stone unturned. “I don’t do anything for monetary purposes… I’m just gonna continue working,” he once said, and that mindset has paid off.
That doesn’t mean Shaq hasn’t had his fair share of missteps. One of his biggest? Passing on Starbucks’ expansion into Black neighborhoods, a move that Magic Johnson capitalized on. But that aside, the Diesel has investments in Papa John’s, The Big Chicken, and Krispy Kreme. Not only that, he also owns gyms and car washes and has stakes in Lyft and Ring. His strategy is simple—he invests in brands he believes in, and they believed in him. And now, it seems that he might be making another big move soon.
Recently, he was spotted with Turki Alalshikh, a Saudi Arabian adviser at the Royal Court. Turki shared a picture and video of himself with Shaq on Twitter, captioning it, “With my brother, the legend Shaquille O’Neal…There are a lot of surprises in the future together.” An intriguing statement indeed. What’s next? Does this mean that Alalshikh is now planning to branch out from combat sports?
With my brother, the legend Shaquille O’Neal…There are a lot of surprises in the future together. pic.twitter.com/c57ZXZVU36
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) March 6, 2025
Turki has been making waves in boxing, turning Saudi Arabia into a major destination for high-profile fights. He’s helped bring some of the biggest bouts to the region. Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou, Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury II, and Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol comes to mind. Moreover, he even tried to get Gervonta Davis on board, though his attempts went in vain.
His ambitions in combat sports are clear, and if he’s teaming up with Shaq, it could mean something huge. With two great minds coming together, whether it’s boxing, basketball, or something unexpected, their collaboration is worth looking out for.
Shaquille O’Neal’s Billionaire Playbook
The path to the billionaire status isn’t easy, but listening to one might help. And guess what the NBA Legend did? He heeded that advice and he couldn’t be happier with the results. When Shaq turned 52, he followed an investment strategy inspired by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. He once shared, “I heard Jeff Bezos say one time [that] he makes his investments based on if it’s going to change people’s lives. Once I started doing that strategy, I think I probably quadrupled what I’m worth.” And the result? His wealth skyrocketed.
Another smart move of his involves the early investment in Google before its IPO. Apart from these, he owned 155 Five Guys franchises at one point, proving he knows a good deal when he sees one. But his biggest win was backing Ring, the home security company Amazon later acquired for $1 billion. Beyond tech, Shaq has a soft spot for Krispy Kreme, even planning to own 100 locations. He also invested in Uber, another game-changing company.
Today, Shaquille O’Neal’s net worth sits at an estimated $500 million. From basketball courts to boardrooms, Shaq keeps winning—by making smart investments and listening to the right people. If there’s one lesson here, it’s that the right mindset can take you far.
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