Shaquille O’Neal, born on March 6, 1972, in Newark, New Jersey, is a former professional basketball player widely regarded as one of the greatest centers in NBA history. He is a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA.
Shaq is a 7-foot-1-inch (2.16 m) and 325-pound (147 kg) center who played for 6 teams over his 19-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and is a 4-time NBA champion.
In this article, you will know Shaquille O’Neal‘s net worth, salary, career earnings, contract, stats, wife, career overview, and more.
Shaq O’Neal’s Biography
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal |
| Date of Birth | March 6, 1972 |
| Place of Birth | Newark, New Jersey, USA |
| Height | 7 feet 1 inch (216 cm) |
| Weight | 325 pounds (147 kg) |
| College | Louisiana State University (LSU) |
| NBA Draft | 1992, 1st overall pick by the Orlando Magic |
| NBA Teams | Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics |
| Championships | 4 (2000, 2001, 2002 with Lakers; 2006 with Heat) |
| NBA MVP | 2000 |
| All-Star Appearances | 15 times |
| Retirement | 2011 |
| Post-Retirement Roles | Sports analyst, businessman, actor |
| Marital Status | Divorced (Shaunie Nelson, 2002-2011) |
| Children | 4 with Shaunie Nelson |
- Career Span: 1992–2011
- NBA Championships: Four-time NBA champion (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006)
- Notable Awards: NBA MVP (2000), 15 All-Star selections, 3 Finals MVP awards
- Teams Played For: Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics
- Hall of Fame: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2016), FIBA Hall of Fame (2017)
- Career Points: 28,596 (23.7 ppg)
- Off-Court Ventures: Released four rap albums, electronic music producer, reality show star
NBA Career
O’Neal’s professional career began when he was drafted as the first overall pick by the Orlando Magic in the 1992 NBA Draft.
He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1993 and quickly became one of the league’s top players. O’Neal’s tenure with the Magic included leading the team to the NBA Finals 1995.
In 1996, O’Neal signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he achieved his greatest success.
Alongside Kobe Bryant, he won three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002 and earned the NBA Finals MVP award yearly. He was also named the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2000.
After his time with the Lakers, O’Neal played for several other teams, including the Miami Heat, with whom he won his fourth NBA championship in 2006.
His career also included stints with the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics before retiring in 2011.
Shaquille O’Neal’s Net Worth Details
Shaquille O’Neal’s net worth is estimated to be $500 million as of 2025. He is a retired American basketball player, entrepreneur, television host, and product endorser.
His financial success is attributed to his illustrious basketball career, savvy business investments, endorsements, and media presence.
Career Earnings and Salary
Shaq’s salary earnings from his NBA career are reported to be around $292 million. This includes his contracts with various teams throughout his 19-year career.
Shaq began his career with the Orlando Magic, where he played for four seasons with a total earning from his entry-level contract of $17.4 million.
His first contract with the Lakers was a groundbreaking seven-year deal worth $120 million, followed by a three-year extension worth over $88 million.
Shaq signed a 5-year contract with the Miami Heat for $101 million.
Endorsements
O’Neal has made a significant amount of money from endorsements, with estimates suggesting he has earned over $200 million from such deals.
His endorsements have included partnerships with major brands like Reebok, Pepsi, Icy Hot, NBA 2K, Taco Bell, Wheaties, and JCPenny
Notably, Shaq has taken on roles such as the president of basketball operations for Reebok.
Business and Beyond
Beyond his NBA salary and endorsements, Shaquille O’Neal has increased his wealth through various business ventures and investments.
He has been involved in music and acting, invested in franchises like 5 Guys, and became a minority owner of the Sacramento Kings. His annual income post-retirement is typically around $60 million.
Media and Broadcasting
Shaquille O’Neal’s role as an NBA analyst on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” contributes to his income, with reports indicating he commands a yearly salary of $10 million from TNT.
His media presence extends to acting in movies, releasing rap albums, and participating in reality TV shows.
Private Jet
In July 2023, O’Neal purchased his first private jet, a $27 million Bombardier Challenger 650, with the iconic “Dunkman” logo on the tail.
Marriage and Relationships
Shaq married Shaunie Nelson in 2002. The couple had four children together before separating in 2009 and officially divorcing in 2011.
In the summer of 2010, O’Neal began dating reality TV star Nicole “Hoopz” Alexander. The couple resided at O’Neal’s home in Sudbury, Massachusetts, and split in August 2012.
O’Neal began dating Laticia Rolle, a model originally from Gardner, Massachusetts, in early 2014. They later split in March 2018.
Achievements and Awards
- 4× NBA champion (2000–2002, 2006)
- 3× NBA Finals MVP (2000–2002)
- NBA Most Valuable Player (2000)
- 15× NBA All-Star (1993–1998, 2000–2007, 2009)
- 3× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2000, 2004, 2009)
- 8× All-NBA First Team (1998, 2000–2006)
- 2× All-NBA Second Team (1995, 1999)
- 4× All-NBA Third Team (1994, 1996, 1997, 2009)
- 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2000, 2001, 2003)
- NBA Rookie of the Year (1993)
- NBA All-Rookie First Team (1993)
- 2× NBA scoring champion (1995, 2000)
- 2× IBM Award (2000, 2001)
- NBA anniversary team (50th, 75th)
- FIBA World Championship MVP (1994)
- USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (1994)
NBA Career Stats
Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 | Orlando | 81 | 81 | 37.9 | .562 | .000 | .592 | 13.9 | 1.9 | .7 | 3.5 | 23.4 |
| 1993–94 | Orlando | 81 | 81 | 39.8 | .599* | .000 | .554 | 13.2 | 2.4 | .9 | 2.9 | 29.3 |
| 1994–95 | Orlando | 79 | 79 | 37.0 | .583 | .000 | .533 | 11.4 | 2.7 | .9 | 2.4 | 29.3* |
| 1995–96 | Orlando | 54 | 52 | 36.0 | .573 | .500 | .487 | 11.0 | 2.9 | .6 | 2.1 | 26.6 |
| 1996–97 | L.A. Lakers | 51 | 51 | 38.1 | .557 | .000 | .484 | 12.5 | 3.1 | .9 | 2.9 | 26.2 |
| 1997–98 | L.A. Lakers | 60 | 57 | 36.3 | .584* | .000 | .527 | 11.4 | 2.4 | .7 | 2.4 | 28.3 |
| 1998–99 | L.A. Lakers | 49 | 49 | 34.8 | .576* | .000 | .540 | 10.7 | 2.3 | .7 | 1.7 | 26.3 |
| 1999–00† | L.A. Lakers | 79 | 79 | 40.0 | .574* | .000 | .524 | 13.6 | 3.8 | .5 | 3.0 | 29.7* |
| 2000–01† | L.A. Lakers | 74 | 74 | 39.5 | .572* | .000 | .513 | 12.7 | 3.7 | .6 | 2.8 | 28.7 |
| 2001–02† | L.A. Lakers | 67 | 66 | 36.1 | .579* | .000 | .555 | 10.7 | 3.0 | .6 | 2.0 | 27.2 |
| 2002–03 | L.A. Lakers | 67 | 66 | 37.8 | .574 | .000 | .622 | 11.1 | 3.1 | .6 | 2.4 | 27.5 |
| 2003–04 | L.A. Lakers | 67 | 67 | 36.8 | .584* | .000 | .490 | 11.5 | 2.9 | .5 | 2.5 | 21.5 |
| 2004–05 | Miami | 73 | 73 | 34.1 | .601* | .000 | .461 | 10.4 | 2.7 | .5 | 2.3 | 22.9 |
| 2005–06† | Miami | 59 | 58 | 30.6 | .600* | .000 | .469 | 9.2 | 1.9 | .4 | 1.8 | 20.0 |
| 2006–07 | Miami | 40 | 39 | 28.4 | .591 | .000 | .422 | 7.4 | 2.0 | .2 | 1.4 | 17.3 |
| 2007–08 | Miami | 33 | 33 | 28.6 | .581 | .000 | .494 | 7.8 | 1.4 | .6 | 1.6 | 14.2 |
| 2007–08 | Phoenix | 28 | 28 | 28.7 | .611 | .000 | .513 | 10.6 | 1.7 | .5 | 1.2 | 12.9 |
| 2008–09 | Phoenix | 75 | 75 | 30.0 | .609* | .000 | .595 | 8.4 | 1.7 | .6 | 1.4 | 17.8 |
| 2009–10 | Cleveland | 53 | 53 | 23.4 | .566 | .000 | .496 | 6.7 | 1.5 | .3 | 1.2 | 12.0 |
| 2010–11 | Boston | 37 | 36 | 20.3 | .667 | .000 | .557 | 4.8 | .7 | .4 | 1.1 | 9.2 |
| Career | 1,207 | 1,197 | 34.7 | .582 | .045 | .527 | 10.9 | 2.5 | .6 | 2.3 | 23.7 | |
| All-Star | 12 | 9 | 22.8 | .551 | .000 | .452 | 8.1 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 16.8 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Orlando | 3 | 3 | 42.0 | .511 | .000 | .471 | 13.3 | 2.3 | .7 | 3.0 | 20.7 |
| 1995 | Orlando | 21 | 21 | 38.3 | .577 | .000 | .571 | 11.9 | 3.3 | .9 | 1.9 | 25.7 |
| 1996 | Orlando | 12 | 12 | 38.3 | .606 | .000 | .393 | 10.0 | 4.6 | .8 | 1.3 | 25.8 |
| 1997 | L.A. Lakers | 9 | 9 | 36.2 | .514 | .000 | .610 | 10.6 | 3.2 | .6 | 1.9 | 26.9 |
| 1998 | L.A. Lakers | 13 | 13 | 38.5 | .612 | .000 | .503 | 10.2 | 2.9 | .5 | 2.6 | 30.5 |
| 1999 | L.A. Lakers | 8 | 8 | 39.4 | .510 | .000 | .466 | 11.6 | 2.3 | .9 | 2.9 | 26.6 |
| 2000† | L.A. Lakers | 23 | 23 | 43.5 | .566 | .000 | .456 | 15.4 | 3.1 | .6 | 2.4 | 30.7 |
| 2001† | L.A. Lakers | 16 | 16 | 42.3 | .555 | .000 | .525 | 15.4 | 3.2 | .4 | 2.4 | 30.4 |
| 2002† | L.A. Lakers | 19 | 19 | 40.8 | .529 | .000 | .649 | 12.6 | 2.8 | .5 | 2.5 | 28.5 |
| 2003 | L.A. Lakers | 12 | 12 | 40.1 | .535 | .000 | .621 | 14.8 | 3.7 | .6 | 2.8 | 27.0 |
| 2004 | L.A. Lakers | 22 | 22 | 41.7 | .593 | .000 | .429 | 13.2 | 2.5 | .3 | 2.8 | 21.5 |
| 2005 | Miami | 13 | 13 | 33.2 | .558 | .000 | .472 | 7.8 | 1.9 | .4 | 1.5 | 19.4 |
| 2006† | Miami | 23 | 23 | 33.0 | .612 | .000 | .374 | 9.8 | 1.7 | .5 | 1.5 | 18.4 |
| 2007 | Miami | 4 | 4 | 30.3 | .559 | .000 | .333 | 8.5 | 1.3 | .3 | 1.5 | 18.8 |
| 2008 | Phoenix | 5 | 5 | 30.0 | .440 | .000 | .500 | 9.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 15.2 |
| 2010 | Cleveland | 11 | 11 | 22.1 | .516 | .000 | .660 | 5.5 | 1.4 | .2 | 1.2 | 11.5 |
| 2011 | Boston | 2 | 0 | 6.0 | .500 | .000 | .000 | .0 | .5 | .5 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Career | 216 | 214 | 37.5 | .563 | .000 | .504 | 11.6 | 2.7 | .5 | 2.1 | 24.3 | |
FAQs
1. What is Shaquille O’Neal’s nationality and which NBA teams did she play for?
O’Neal is an American basketball legend who played for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics during her prolific career.
2. What position did O’Neal play, and what made her so dominant?
O’Neal played center and became famous for her size, strength, athleticism, and ability to control the game in the paint as a scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker.
3. Which championships and major honors did O’Neal win in the NBA?
She won four NBA titles—three with the Lakers and one with the Heat—earned NBA Finals MVP three times, and was selected for 15 NBA All-Star Games across two decades.
4. What college did O’Neal attend, and what achievements did she earn there?
O’Neal attended LSU, where she was a two-time SEC Player of the Year, earned All-America honors, and had her number 33 jersey retired by the university for her impact.
5. What are some of O’Neal’s career milestones and NBA records?
She scored over 28,000 career points, collected more than 13,000 rebounds, and ranks in the top ten all-time for field goal percentage, making her one of NBA’s most efficient and productive bigs.
6. How did O’Neal influence the game and culture of basketball?
She changed how teams approached low-post play and defense, became a global icon through marketing and endorsements, and impacted pop culture through music, movies, and business ventures.
7. Has O’Neal been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame?
O’Neal was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016, affirming her status as one of basketball’s true greats on and off the court.
8. What reputation did O’Neal have among coaches and teammates?
Coaches praised her for positivity and leadership, while teammates valued her loyalty, sense of humor, and willingness to help younger players develop.
9. What is O’Neal’s legacy outside the NBA after retirement?
He built careers in television, music, business, and philanthropy, working as a popular sports analyst and investing in diverse projects while supporting charities nationwide.
10. What goals and interests drive O’Neal today?
O’Neal focuses on media, entrepreneurship, mentoring athletes, and giving back to the community, continuing to inspire as a larger-than-life figure in sports and entertainment.
