Power 5 schools now funnel an average of $9.8 million yearly into NIL collectives, with top prospects pocketing $6–8 million for single seasons —yet Auburn’s most famous alum, Charles Barkley, refuses to ante up. Instead, he’s invested $10 million in HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) and $1 million in Birmingham housing, denouncing Auburn’s NIL arms race as “not worth the return,” What does Barkley’s data-backed gamble say about college sports’ future?

In the latest episode of The Dan Dakich Show, Barkley was asked about Shaquille O’Neal joining Sacramento State, where his son Shaqir is playing. The host asked Chuck whether he would be willing to donate tens of millions to help these programs. While his answer was surprising, it was also understandable. He explained that he had already contributed to HBCUs and other programs. 

And he feels these are much more important than donations to Auburn for NIL money and bringing in the best players. He even added that the return on investment wasn’t good enough for one player, and he won’t be contributing millions to this. “I just gave 10 million dollars to HBCU’s… I just gave a million dollars to ‘Blight’, in my hometown of Birmingham, to rebuild houses. That stuff is way more important to me than joining the cesspool that is college athletics. We’re such a shitty country, Dan. We’ve ruined college athletics, and I don’t wanna even get in that cesspool,” Chuck said.

He went on to even highlight how players don’t have a salary cap, which has caused trouble. As an alumnus of the university, he has made massive contributions. The university does benefit from the free advertising by Chuck. Despite his Auburn pride, Barkley won’t funnel millions into its NIL programs. 

Furthermore, he also mentioned the advice that he got from Dr. J. When Chuck bought many expensive cars after getting his deal, Julius Erving advised him that he should spend his money smartly. 

“Dr J told me a long time ago. He says, ‘Everybody know who you are. You don’t have to spend $200-$300,000 on a car….Like rich people are so much smarter than poor people, and I don’t mean that in a disrespectful way,” he said. The Philadelphia 76ers legend is doing just that while also giving back to the community.

What is the untold story behind Shaquille O’Neal and  HBCU?  

Long before Shaq became an NBA icon, his mother, Lucille O’Neal, made one stipulation clear: he must finish his degree. Though drafted fifth overall in 1992, Shaq honored that promise, returning to LSU after a five-year hiatus and leaning on an HBCU to bridge the gap. “I had to transfer to Southern University for summer school,” Shaq told The Big Podcast on May 5, 2025, “because it was an HBCU that helped me graduate from LSU.”

After leaving LSU in 1992, O’Neal re-enrolled in 1998 to complete his B.S. in General Studies. However, NCAA eligibility rules forced him to find summer-school credits elsewhere. He chose Southern University, an HBCU in Baton Rouge, enrolling in summer courses that satisfied LSU’s requirements. “A lot of people don’t know the story,” Shaq explained, “but I had to go to Southern for summer school.”

Shaq’s commitment to HBCUs extended to his son, Shaqir O’Neal, who began his college career at Florida A&M University—another storied HBCU in Tallahassee—averaging 6.7 points and 3.4 rebounds in the 2024-25 season. Though Shaqir recently entered the transfer portal and committed to Sacramento State, where Shaq now serves as an unpaid GM for player development and NIL strategy, Shaq has often praised FAMU’s role in his son’s early growth.

Beyond academics, Shaq has leveraged his platform to uplift HBCUs through Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, of which he is an honorary member. In 2019, he partnered with Miles College (an HBCU in Fairfield, AL) and Papa John’s to bring on-campus pizzerias to 107 HBCUs, citing them as “pivotal in highlighting Black history and culture.”

Following this, he earned his MBA from the University of Phoenix, and later, an Ed.D in Human Resources from Barry University. The former NBA players have different opinions, but one thing is common about the two, and that is that both believe in giving back to the community.