Shaquille O’Neal is one of the, if not the most dominant player in NBA history. However, despite being one of the greatest athletes ever, O’Neal is lauded for his humility. Amin Elhassan’s anecdote regarding Shaq’s simplicity only acts as proof that the Big Aristotle is an extremely humble character.
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Amin Elhassan was an NBA analyst and commentator. After having worked with the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks, Elhassan spent a significant time with the Phoenix Suns. During his tenure, as a commentator for the Suns, Shaquille O’Neal was part of the team’s roster. As expected, Elhassan had numerous interactions with O’Neal over the latter’s 2-year stint with the franchise.
Narrating a story from one of his interactions with Shaq, Elhassan explained how humble the superstar was. Initially, Elhassan revealed how the big man would shop at Walmart every day. Later, he disclosed being amazed at the fact that a successful athlete like O’Neal was using merely a $99 camera.
“The first time I ever even heard of that sh*t (camera) was Shaq. Shaq came in with it. I said ‘damn’ and I am thinking it’s Shaq so this must be like a $1000, crazy features. He said it’s $99,” Amin Elhassan said.
Not just with the usage of his abundant wealth, but Shaq is also an extremely down-to-earth character. His unique philosophies about life are what make him regarded as one of the most liked superstars in the sporting world.
Even after assimilating immense wealth in his career, Shaq believes that the “street rule No. 1 is to mind your own business”. When it comes to making mistakes, the NBA analyst seems pretty open about accepting the goof-ups that he did, unknowingly and wants the younger generation to learn from them. One of his qualities also includes managing the wealth that he has created.
Shaquille O’Neal is great at managing his money
With the virtue of being one of the most successful players in the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal earned close to $287 million, as per Spotrac, across his distinguished 20-year career. However, unlike many retired players, O’Neal has created a massive fortune for himself. And that is because of his incredible money management abilities.
Today, O’Neal is one of the richest individuals in the basketball world, having a staggering net worth of $500 million, as per ClutchPoints. After being careless with the money he received as a rookie, the Hall-of-Famer learned the importance of investments and savings.
Apart from racking up millions with his performance on the court, Shaq has also made multiple investments in huge companies such as Apple, Google, Ring, and Lyft Inc. Being one of the most marketable personalities, the Diesel has also earned a significant amount from endorsing brands like Oreo, Reebok, Carnival, Pepsi, and Burger King, among others.
Earlier at the start of the year, the former LSU Tiger also dished out some financial advice that every individual can follow to manage money. Stressing the importance of saving money, the TNT analyst said,
“It’s not about how much you make, it’s about how much you keep. Save 75% of your earnings and put it away. Use the other 25% as you please.”
“Save, save, save. Put away a piece of every paycheck. Even if it is only $50 or $100, it will add up throughout the year,” Shaq said, as reported by CNBC.
Shaq is an inspiration not just as a basketball player but also as a businessman. Hopefully, the youngsters in the league can also try emulating O’Neal’s moves off the hardwood.
