It’s impossible not to see Alex Rodriguez in the stands while the Minnesota Timberwolves are playing. The part-owner has almost always been there supporting and motivating his players. However, while that has given the fans many memorable moments with the squad- that iconic handshake with Ant-Man; it has also made multiple meetings happen between and that pattern continued when A-Rod crossed paths with Shaq.

From being one of the all-time greats to becoming a top analyst, Shaq has done it all. Interestingly, Rodriguez too seems to be on a similar path. But now that the 4x NBA champion’s “Inside the NBA” show is set to end, he’s been visiting multiple locations. However, what’s a better place than the Conference Finals? Though A-Rod was ecstatic after meeting Shaq, the same couldn’t be said after the T-Wolves’ game ended with the Dallas Mavericks winning by a point.

Recently, A-Rod posted a video of himself playing basketball on his Instagram. Though, obviously he didn’t do that, he nonetheless showed immense support for the Twolves. However, in one of his Instagram stories, he was seen talking to Shaq. What were the two talking about? One can only guess, but it certainly looked like Rodriguez was explaining his team’s strengths and strategies to the NBA legend.

Later in Game 2, fans saw Shaq singing along to Backstreet Boys. Certainly, the legend was having a great time during the Conference finals. But the same can’t be said about A-Rod. However, amidst all the excitement, Minnesota hasn’t been able to find that winning touch against the Mavs.

With the team losing 109-108, they’re now 2 games behind in the finals. That’s surely not what Rodriguez had in mind when visiting the games. However, one can’t deny that the games haven’t been blowouts – both times the Timberwolves were close to winning. That’s an encouraging sign for the owner.

But while this meeting between A-Rod and Shaquille O’Neal was exciting, the two actually have a deep relationship with each other. More than friends, they also have been business partners.

On-field legends to successful businessmen – Alex Rodriguez and Shaq’s journey

Shaquille O’Neal and Alex Rodriguez were one of the earliest celebrities to understand the high potential of Esports. One could imagine that because of being sportsmen, they understood the high popularity that any competitive stuff can get. Because of that, in 2016, the different-sport duo became investors in NRG Esports – an organization with multiple teams. 

That made them partners and how good was that investment?

As of 2021, NRG Esports had a revenue of $28 million. On the other hand, their equity was valued at $240 million in 2022. And now with Esports turning into this huge juggernaut, those investments are looking even smarter. Now one can only hope something similar happens with A-Rod’s new investment. However, before that, there’s a huge battle waiting for him for its ownership.