Shaquille O'Neal Net Worth: Big Diesel Earned $286 Million From NBA

Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O'Neal's fortune has continued to grow after he retired in 2011 and ended his 19-year basketball career.

As of this writing, O'Neal's net worth stands at $400 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Known as the Big Diesel, the 50-year-old New Jersey native played for a total of six teams, including the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns, during his NBA career, which started in 1992. He may be most well-known for his time with the Orlando Magic (1992 to 1996) and the Los Angeles Lakers (1996 to 2004).

During his rookie season (1992-93) with Orlando Magic, he was paid $3 million in salary. But in the years before he retired, he was earning $20 million to $27 million per year.

In his nearly two-decade basketball career, O'Neal earned $286.34 million in salary alone, according to Spotrac.

He earned well over $200 million from endorsements during that same time period, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Even though O'Neal has been retired for many years, he reportedly still earns around $60 million per year from various endorsements, business endeavors and NBA commentator gigs.

When O'Neal retired from basketball, he promised his fans he wouldn't stop entertaining them. He kept his word and signed a multi-year deal with TNT's "Inside the NBA," an award-winning basketball analysis commentary show.

Aside from his basketball-related endeavors, he also explored careers in the rap and film industry, appearing in films such as "Blue Chips" and "Kazaam." He also has starred in multiple reality series and hosts his own podcast.

O'Neal has been active in the stock market and in real estate since the 1990s and has businesses as well. In March 2019, he joined the board of directors of pizza restaurant chain Papa John's.

In 2013, he paid $5 million for a 1% stake in the NBA team Sacramento Kings. In August 2021, he sold his stake for $11 million so he could become the primary endorser of an online gambling company called WynnBet.

During an episode of "The Big Podcast" earlier this month, he revealed how many companies he has been involved with.

"I'm a part of over 100 companies. I have 30 endorsement deals. I am invested in over 200 companies. My favorite word in business is joint-ventureship," he said.

O'Neal also owns several properties, including a 15-acre estate in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, and a mansion in Bell Canyon, a gated community in a Los Angeles suburb. Last year, he sold his 12-bedroom mansion in Orlando, Florida, for $16.5 million.

O'Neal is a father of eight kids. In a recent interview with Australia's 7News, he revealed that his kids should earn two college degrees before they can inherit a dime of his fortune.

"In order to get my cheese, you have to present me with two degrees," he said.