After signing a $101.35 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James became the undisputed top earner in the league. In the top 10 rankings from the HoopsHype, 4 are retired players including the late great Kobe Bryant at #5. The salaries are adjusted for inflation and the Spurs legend Tim Duncan rounds the list at #10. The Boston Celtics duo occupy the #2 and #3 spot and surprisingly Shaquille O’Neal takes the latter spot. So, let’s look at the 48-year-old who earned more than Shaq.

Kevin Garnett signed with the Timberwolves as the #5 overall draft pick in 1995, and two years later signed an unprecedented contract of $123 million extension. The six-year contract extension would begin after his 3rd season, and at the time it was the largest contract in American sports history. And his overall salary after adjusting to inflation becomes $535,771,730, as per HoopsHype.

Meanwhile, Shaquille O’Neal’s total salary after adjusting to inflation was $491,372,763, a difference of $44,398,967. While the #1 LeBron James is over $100 million ahead of Shaq with a total of $594,888,260. KG in 2004 also penned another $100 million extension with Wolves this time only for 5 years.

Shaquille O’Neal too signed a $100 million plus contract twice in his career. Once during his infamous move to the Lakers in 1996, and another in 2005 with the Miami Heat. For Heat, Shaq signed a 5 year $101 million contract. But O’Neal beats his former Celtics teammate in net worth.

According to celebrity net worth, KG has a $120 million net worth, yet Shaquille O’Neal has been attributed nearly 4X times. Yes, Shaq has a net worth of $500 million. So how did O’Neal amass this wealth even after retiring nearly 13 years ago?

Shaquille O’Neal and his fortune mantra

“I read a quote one day that said: The greatest leaders are the ones smart enough to have people that are smarter than them,” Shaq said. “So I just surrounded myself with smart people,” Shaquille O’Neal spoke with Bloomberg at the beginning of February this year. And the Lakers legend continues to earn through one of his mediums as an analyst.

The ‘Big Diesel’ reportedly signed a contract extension worth $10 million per season with TNT in 2022. However, a month later after the announcement of his new contract Shaq was still not sure what the future holds. “Who knows? I go day by day, year by year. I’m just fortunate enough to be working and having a job. But if I lasted long, good. If not, I understand. You know, when you grow up how I grew up, you gotta always have something to fall back on. So if TNT stops tomorrow, I’ll definitely find other things to do.”

And ‘the tomorrow’ has come early for Shaquille O’Neal and Co. as TNT is yet to finalize a deal with the NBA for broadcasting. There were reports that TNT could match Amazon’s $1.8B annual bid, but Shaq’s co-host feels otherwise. Charles Barkley a few days ago said, “I think we have lost the deal, to be honest.” 

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.