Can you believe it?! Shaquille O’Neal is among the richest of NBA stars but still nowhere close to the likes of LeBron James and Michael Jordan. As per Celebrity Net Worth, the 5x NBA champ stands at a net worth of $500 million. Huge, yes, but then as per Forbes, the net worth of Mike and Bron is $3.2 billion and $1.2 billion, respectively. So it should not have been a surprise that Shaq did not make it to Forbes World’s Billionaires List (2024). Well, not to the 15x All-Star.

As per some reports, Shaq does not frequently check his net worth. So the possibility he had no clue where exactly he stands as of now was very real. And something similar happened when he read a Forbes article.

“I want to be on that Forbes list… Because when I seen the article, I was like… ‘Well, I gotta be number one, two, or three. I wasn’t in that thing at all.’ I’m like, ‘Damn. I shoot 100 commercials a month.’ I had to call my accountant. ‘You sure you ain’t stealing from me’… He said, ‘No, you worth this much,'” Shaq said on Houston Texans.

Though Shaquille O’Neal did not specify the article, the chances are that he was most likely talking about Forbes World’s Billionaires List (2024). Now, it’s not as if the 4x NBA champ has not made significant as well as strategic investments to boost his wealth.

Well, the man’s been busy. His early bet on Google paid off big time, and his Big Chicken franchise is expanding faster than you can imagine. He’s also got his hands in everything—from Papa John’s and Hershey’s to tech companies like Ring. And let’s not forget he’s also the President of Basketball Operations at Reebok. Taking on none other than Michael Jordan’s iconic Jordan Brand.

And it doesn’t stop there. Shaq is investing in educational initiatives, including a startup called Campus by Tade Oyerinde. No wonder that recently there were hints of him entering the billionaire club soon.

“This guy is so tall. I can’t even zoom in on him.  The next billionaire right here,” DJ Whoo Kid said on SiriusXM’s Shade 45 show. But there is no denying things will take time for him to reach LeBron-level wealth, let alone His Airness.

What did LeBron James and Michael Jordan get right?

Well, thanks to his mother, Michael Jordan got things right from the start. Yep, we are referring to his 5% royalty on every item that got sold in his name. And the seal still earns him millions of dollars. In fact, as per an article by TheStreet, he continued to receive over $100 million a year in Nike royalties even after his retirement.

Forbes, however, in its recent list has named Charlotte Hornets and endorsements as his sources of income. Yes, he is still the minority owner of the franchise even after selling his majority stakes for a reported $3 billion.

And then there’s LeBron James. Did you know he’s the first active NBA player to become a billionaire? Basketball might be his bread and butter, but his off-court deals are just as impressive. Take his partnership with Nike—he signed a $93 million deal right out of high school. And then that lifetime deal in 2015 was rumored to be worth $1 billion.

But wait, there’s more! In 2021, Bron bought into Fenway Sports Group, becoming part-owner of the Boston Red Sox. Add $90 million a year from endorsements, as per Business Insider and you’ve got a recipe for success. Now it’s to be seen if Shaq makes it to the list next year alongside LeBron James and Michael Jordan. But we can say that he indeed is on the right path!