Shaquille O’Neal Doesn’t Miss Playing in the NBA Since The Players He Looked Up To Have Moved On: For Me, It Was About Beating These Legends

Shaquille O’Neal

Shaq Doesn’t Miss Playing in the NBA Since The Players He Looked Up To Have Moved On: For Me, It Was About Beating These Legends

Although Shaquille O’Neal first gained notoriety as a professional basketball player, he has since become involved in a variety of commercial endeavors and doesn’t miss playing the game.

The four-time NBA champion was asked by N.O.R.E. what he misses most about the game during a recent Drink Champs interview. Shaquille O’Neal replied,

“Nothing.”

He continued,

“No, because growing up I watched all the karate movies. You know how the karate movies start. … Remember growing up, like, when you first watch karate movies, the karate master was so crazy [that] nobody could get to him. That’s how it was for me. I used to love Ewing, and now I get to face him. I used to love Jordan, and now I used to get to face him, I got to try and beat him. I got to try to beat Barkley. So for me, it was about beating these legends.”

During his 19-year NBA career, Shaquille O’Neal played for six different teams: the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns. In a tweet from 2011 announcing his “i’m retiring,” he also included a link to a 16-second clip of himself saying,

“We did it; 19 years, baby. Thank you very much. That’s why I’m telling you first: I’m about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon.”

Since then, Shaq — who has a net worth of $450 million — has invested his time, money and likeness into a number of business ventures. Currently, he is the owner of 175 eateries, among them Big Chicken, Five Guys Burgers and Auntie Anne’s Pretzels. He also owns nightclubs in Vegas, a retail mall, a movie theater and 150 car washes.

Additionally, the successful businessman has stake in a number of companies, including Authentic Brand Group, Krispy Kreme and Papa John’s. In response to why (or how) he didn’t end up broke like 65 percent of NBA players, Shaq said,

“Because if I do that, the big house that I bought my mother, she loses it. And I can’t have that.”

He added,

“I had to learn about financial literacy. I had to take what I learned from basketball and apply the teamwork structure to my business.”

#Shaq discussed his early experience entering rooms where business deals were being conducted. The ex basketball star graduated from the University of Phoenix w/ an MBA. However, he expressed his determination to pursue an education that was not just virtual ?: @bebetteroffshow pic.twitter.com/5M960UWkUb

— theJasmineBRAND (@thejasminebrand) September 15, 2022

Shaq recently revealed that he is interested in joining forces with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos for a potential bid to purchase his former team, the Phoenix Suns, following the news from the franchise’s current owner, Robert Sarver, that he intends to sell.

What are your thoughts on what Shaq shared? Let us know in the comments!

[VIA]