In addition to being one of the most dominant athletes in history, Shaquille O’Neal is also a savvy businessman. The four-time NBA champion’s shrewd business acumen has helped him amass a net worth of $400 million. The Hall of Famer’s openness to explore new ventures and invest his money in radical business ideas is one of his best traits. However, some are too weird even for him.
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During an episode of his Big Podcast, O’Neal told rapper 2 Chainz that he was once approached by a man who wanted to turn his sweat into a cologne and sell it. He revealed,
Guy comes in with the money already. He said, ‘Hey, new company, I got 5 million.’ He needs me for my contacts and my distribution. I said, ‘Okay’. He said, ‘I wants to do a cologne’. I said, ‘Alright, you got the fragrance?’ He wants me to go in the weight room and train in this suit and he was going to collect my sweat and put it inside the cologne.”
The man told him that he intended to name the cologne, ‘Elliuqahs’, which is Shaquille spelled backward. This was a truly odd idea, even for O’Neal, who is rarely taken aback by any business proposal. Although the superstar center was thrilled with the possibility of earning $5 million, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. It was just too bizarre for him.
O’Neal rejected the deal, despite being enticed by the massive payout. He did not go through with this radical idea but he’s no stranger to strange endorsement deals and partnerships.
Shaquille O’Neal made millions with his interesting business deals
Over the years, the four-time NBA champion has endorsed some unique products. In 1994, video game giants EA roped in the then-Magic star to be the main character in their video game titled Shaq-Fu. The adventure game featured O’Neal as the main character, who goes on a mission to rescue a young boy.
In 1995, Cadbury roped him in as the face of their eight-inch chocolate called Mr. Big candy bar, which was sold primarily in Canada. In 2013, he teamed up with Arizona Beverages to launch Soda Shaq Cream Soda. The venture ran for three years before being discontinued in 2016.
As strange as some of his endorsement deals are, they have helped him become one of the richest athletes in history. His style may be unconventional, but it works.
