One of Shaquille O’Neal’s most notable traits is his eye for a good investment. He’s made a fortune backing successful companies, and he did the same with Campus, an online college service that features professors from top universities to help students who might not have the opportunity to attend those institutions in person.
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Shaq first heard about Campus from a friend and was immediately on board with the idea. As he told Chancellor Tade Oyerinde, his investment wasn’t about the returns, it was about helping people.
The Los Angeles Lakers legend is worth around $500 million, largely thanks to his smart investments and business choices. But when it came to Campus, his goal from day one was to just change lives. One of the driving reasons he connected with the mission was personal. It was an admission his son had made regarding the subject.
Shaq appeared on CBS Mornings to talk about Campus, where he shared an interesting tidbit about one of his sons. While explaining what Campus is and discussing how the younger generation views college more as a choice than a necessity, he revealed that his son once told him, “College isn’t for everybody.”
Shaq then realized that with Campus, people who don’t have the opportunity to go to college but want to pursue their education can get the chance to do so. “A lot of people do want to go to college, but a lot of people don’t have the opportunity… So with this, we give them the opportunity to get their education,” Shaq revealed.
Now, Shaq’s son may not have too much faith in colleges. But Diesel himself made full use of his millions to complete his education. He was drafted after three years at LSU, but made sure to return and get his degree, as it was a promise he had made to his mother.
Shaq earned his Bachelor’s degree in General Studies at 28 years of age, when he was the best player in the NBA, and since then, he has gone on to rack up two more degrees: an MBA and a Doctorate. He’s very vocal about the importance of education and has tried to tell his children about it, too.
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On The Jennifer Hudson Show, the big fella told his host that all six of his kids know they won’t get to touch his amassed wealth unless they have two degrees. “I said something, I was just trying to be funny, but I was serious at the same time, I said, ‘You can’t touch Daddy cheese until you get two degrees,” he said, as he drew in cheers from the crowd.
Shaq’s kids have gone on to find success in college, albeit not at the level he once achieved at LSU. Will he stick to his two-degree stipulation? We’ll have to wait and see.
