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Since the 90s, the whole world has had Shaq fever. His intense fandom has been around for multiple reasons. On the court, there's just something fun about seeing a 7-foot-tall man run over people the way he did, and score as many points without having the normal shooting skills seen in the game of basketball. Off the court, Shaq has become renowned for his super-dry sense of old-school humor. As an analyst on TNT's Inside The NBA, Shaq hasn't been afraid to speak his mind, which in this politically correct day and age is seen as a rare virtue.
There's no doubt Shaq can be a bit quirky, too. Believe it or not, but Shaq even has connections to iconic boy bands. The big man has gone viral for his DJ abilities as well. Yeah, Shaq is a bit out there sometimes.
Humor, basketball analysis, and his quirky hobbies aren't the only thing Shaq is known for off the court. He's also given a lot of money to various charities and causes. Considering that Shaq has an enormous $400 million net worth, it shouldn't be any surprise that he has a lot of money to give away. Here's what you need to know about who Shaq has generously given his money to.
Everything To Know About Shaq's $400 Million Net Worth
Shaq indeed has a huge net worth that nears half a billion, but how exactly did he make that much money?
Well to start off with, Shaq didn't exactly grow up around a lot of money. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, a city that isn't exactly foreign to poverty. According to Andscape, Shaq's father was in prison throughout most of Shaq's childhood. While Shaq doesn't have any hard feelings towards his father, the lack of his dad's presence certainly shaped Shaquille into the man he is today. He would grow to love basketball from an early age, and references the local Boys & Girls Club of America as his biggest local inspiration.
Shaq would become a high school star in Texas, and even won his high school the state championship in his senior season. This early success would lead Shaq to an easy ride through LSU, one of the best sport colleges in the country. He would continue to succeed all the way to the first pick in the 1992 NBA draft. He would play for many teams, most notably the Orlando Magic, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat.
While Shaq once lost millions because of his mom turning down an early contract, he would certainly make even more millions from his time in the NBA. Of his $400 million, nearly $300 million come from his lucrative basketball contracts. The rest of his money comes from his scholarships, as well as his investments in businesses such as Authentic Brands Group.
What Charities Has Shaq Donated To?
Perhaps Shaq's net worth would be even higher if he didn't donate so much. The former MVP has a long list of charities he's donated money to. Starting with his own foundation, the Shaquille O'Neal Foundation, which is also of his newest charities. Created in 2019, the foundation holds an event in Las Vegas to raise millions of dollars. Multiple celebrities show up to donate money and enjoy the gourmet dinners offered at the events.
As mentioned earlier, the Boys and Girls Club of America has a special place in Shaq's heart. Due to the organization's support of a young Shaq, Shaq has seen to it to return the favors. As a matter of fact, Shaq has started his own chapter of the club in Georgia that was established back in 2021.
Shaq went all out with the facility, which goes above and beyond the typical youth center. According to The Richest, the center contains a computer lab and a music studio, in addition to the athletic components of the building. Of course, Shaq's youth center would be complete with a basketball court, which is also super luxurious and over the top.
Paying for youth centers isn't just something Shaq is known for. The late, great Kobe Bryant also was known for contributing to youth basketball leagues and centers.
At the end of the day, Shaq is a pretty generous dude. Aside from his super generous charitable contributions, he once paid for a dude's engagement ring just for laughs and giggles. Another example of this would be when Shaq's recorded handing out money to homeless citizens. He might be a big guy with a rough-ish personality, but it's undeniable the big man has a heart of gold.
Shaq And Papa John's Teamed Up To Donate Money With Their Delicious Shaq-a-roni
Perhaps most interesting and most famous of Shaq's charitable collaborations is his partnership with the pizza giant Papa John's.
Back in 2019, Papa John's and Shaq teamed up to release the Shaq-a-roni pizza. Since it's inception, the pizza has become a seasonal special that fans absolutely love. It's a pizza Shaq himself created, in the way Shaq likes. All of the Shaq-a-roni pizzas are 16 inches, a large size for Papa John's (and a rather fitting size considering who the pizza's named after). Unlike most pizzas, the toppings go all the way to the edge, and consists of extra cheese and extra pepperoni. Food critics absolutely loved the Shaq-a-roni, and the pizza has been around every year since its start in 2019.
The main reason for the Shaq-a-roni's existence isn't just to sell pizza. Papa John's has donated some of the money made from the Shaq-a-roni to the Boys and Girls Club of America, in part because of Shaq's ties to the foundation.
The great news is that the Shaq-a-roni is here to stay for a few more years. Papa John's re-upped Shaq's contract in 2022 for a "three-year extension", done similarly to how athletes are re-signed in professional sports. The contract was actually worth $11 million, which was revealed in a tax filing by the pizza chain immediately after the deal was announced. The $11 million is actually a mix of cash and stock offerings, meaning Shaq is a major shareholder of Papa John's.
This wasn't the first time Shaq was the spokesman for a major company. Just like with his charitable work, Shaq has a long history of being an advertising face. Two of the most notable examples would be his work for Icy Hot and The General.
The Shaq-a-roni might not be in season at the moment, but that's because Papa John's has other specials going on at the moment. Papa John's has recently celebrated National Pizza Day with an exclusive, limited-time Garlic Parm pizza.
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