The Los Angeles Dodgers made news this off-season for making the most exorbitant purchase in MLB history. After a disappointing exit in the first round of the playoffs last season, the Dodgers decided to assemble a near-unbeatable roster by signing a few superstars in free agency. Shohei Ohtani was one of them, who was signed for a massive $700 million, 10-year contract, which made him the highest-paid athlete in MLB history. While this stunning contract has left many in denial, Shaquille O’Neal believes Ohtani will not be making a lot from that $700 million.

In his latest podcast episode with NFL star Kirk Cousins, Shaq was speaking about the hefty contracts that the LA franchises always sign. He said, “Everybody’s bragging about the…what’s the guy(Ohtani)?…700 million is really 300 million.” Shaq may know best, as he once signed one of the most famous contracts back in 1996 with the Los Angeles Lakers.

It was a $120 million, 7-year deal, one of the costliest contracts back then. However, he could not make a lot out of it. Kirk Cousins and host Adam Lefkoe were speaking about the $120 million contract, and Shaq chimed in, “You know what really pissed me off about that? So what did I make in LA? 120? I really made 60”. The reason behind this is the tax margins in California; the highest in the nation. 

While Shaq is true with the tax scenarios, Ohtani still has a great edge in this $700 million deal. 

Shohei Ohtani’s average salary in comparison with other global icons

Ohtani’s contract will have $2 million in annual salaries and $68 million deferred each year without interest. This deferred compensation will be paid in installments from 2034 to 2043. However, let’s come to the ‘average salary’, which is the elephant in the room. According to Sportico, “Ohtani’s deal tops the current record for average annual MLB salary held by Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.”

Read more: Shohei Ohtani’s Mind-Boggling $700 Million Deal Prompts Jimmy Connors to Draw a Staggering Parallel

Both Scherzer and Verlander have an average salary of $43.33 million, while Ohtani will enjoy his $70 million average. Sportico also revealed that soccer superstars Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar all have a higher average salary. However, Ohtani’s $70 million is tops in the North American sports. If not for tax and other reductions, Ohtani’s contract might have been the highest in the sporting world. However, as Shaq said, no one can escape taxes! 

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