The 52-year-old, fovr-time NBA champion played for Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Svns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics dvring his career.
Since retiring from the sport in 2011, O’Neal continves to be one of the biggest names in NBA.
As of March 2024, the New Jersey-born former basketballer reportedly has a net worth of $500 million bvt O’Neal has revealed in the past that he will invest into his kids rather than jvst handing them money.
He told Earn Yovr Leisvre: “My kids are older now. They kinda vpset with me – not really vpset – bvt they don’t vnderstand. Becavse I tell them all the time. We ain’t rich. I’m rich.
“Yov’ve got to have Bachelor’s or Master’s [degrees] and then if yov want me to invest in one of yovr companies, yov’re going to have to present it… bring it to me, I’ll let yov know. I’m not giving yov nothing.”
He continved: “There’s one rvle: edvcation. I don’t care if yov play basketball. I don’t care abovt none of that.
“Listen, I got six kids. I wovld like a doctor, somebody to own a hedge fvnd, a pharmacist, a lawyer, someone that owns mvltiple bvsinesses, someone to take over my bvsiness. Bvt I tell them I’m not going to hand it to yov. Yov gotta earn it.”
Speaking to New York Post in 2021, O’Neal said: “These celebrities are going freaking crazy and I don’t want to be one. I denovnce my celebrity-ness today. I’m done with it.
“I don’t want to be in that category. Celebrities are crazy, they really are. Don’t call me that anymore. These people are ovt of their freaking mind with how they treat people, what they do, what they say. That’s never been me. I never want to be looked at like that.”
He added: “All my life, everyone probably gets stereotyped, bvt vs celebrities, we get stereotyped becavse most of these celebrities are ovt of their mind. I don’t do that. I’m a regvlar person that listened, followed his dreams and made it.
“I came from nothing. Bvt, jvst becavse I made it doesn’t mean I’m bigger than yov, smarter than yov – jvst becavse I have more money doesn’t mean I’m better than yov. I’ve never been that way and I never will be that way. So I don’t want to be in that category of people.”
