People often go crazy with their financial choices when they get the money, and if the bag is as huge as $6oo million dollars, surely no one would bat an eye at spending $1000 dollars a month at to get the benefits of insurance. However, this doesn’t seem to hold true for NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal – who has experienced growing up with little or no money to now being one of the wealthiest sports icons in the world.

Shaq has always been smart with his money and values even the smallest of expenditures. Recently, the Big Man explained why he refuses to pay $1000 dollars on insurance even though that sum is peanuts to him. Shaq used his mother’s example to highlight the issue of unnecessary expenses and how insurance should be affordable to be valuable.

Shaquille O’Neal explains why he is still associated with the company that helped him insure in his youth

The 4x NBA champion was on the Pop Culture show where he talked about his association with The General and being smart with his expenses, before going on to decline naming his pick just yet for the upcoming NBA finals. He has been associated with The General Insurance company for a long time, and sticking to his roots, hasn’t forgotten what the insurance company did for him during his years of youth.

Shaq said, “The General gave me my break in college. When I bought my first car it was actually the only insurance I could afford.” For this reason, even when now he is rich and popular, Shaq likes to work with the company to help others.

Shaq explained that having affordable insurance should be a right for everyone. Everyone is not Shaq, they don’t have Shaq’s money, he said, before giving his mother’s example to explain the importance of having affordable insurance.

Shaq said, “When I was coming up, my mom didn’t have Shaq money. We had to do things to fit on our budget.” He added that now that he can actually afford the costly monthly insurance, he still doesn’t opt for it, playing it smart. “I can afford a thousand dollars a month insurance, but I’m not paying that,” he said.

Going ahead in the interview, Shaq was asked for his pick for the NBA finals this year. Although he didn’t pick a favorite from the lot, he did share some valuable insights that shape his perspective.

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Shaq names players and teams to look out for in the NBA finals run

Shaq was asked about who he sees winning the NBA finals this year. “I don’t see it yet,” he replied, going on to add context to his answer. The 15x NBA All-Star said that Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are the players he is watching closely as they “take things personally.” Shaq pointed out that the newer generation doesn’t play the game with the same seriousness as his generation did. He added that Sacramento Kings and Stephen Curry‘s Golden State Warriors are the dark horses in the league.

Shaq’s opinions about the Finals interestingly display his famous prudence that surely led him to do away with the prospect of costly insurance for himself too. Perhaps his named picks at this time will really yield as the postseason warms up, given how his mother’s wisdom has been passed on till now! What are your picks for the NBA finals? Tell us in the comments below – be sure to make a sensible decision!

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