Owning a private jet isn’t an easy task, prior to or beyond, thanks to the demands and the expenses reported at $500,000 and more a year. However, NBA superstars including LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Shaquille O’Neal among a few others seem to have risen to the feat. But none is stopping the latter of the lot from speaking the cons. In an episode with Golden State Warriors center Draymond Green, Shaq detailed the deadly consequences of flying alone. 

In his show The Big Podcast, Shaquille O’Neal questions Green, “You flew private?”. The 2016 DPOY replied, “Hell no“. Shaq questioned again, “Oh, you don’t fly by yourself?”  Green denied, and Shaq also agreed, “Me neither.” Because there is something that the Big Diesel fears. 

Green said, “I hate it. I did it before, I felt like the biggest dummy. I’m just sitting there like nobody to talk to, I’m sitting here by myself.” Loneliness is the reason why Green hates to travel alone. However, Shaq has a bigger reason. 

The 2000 MVP said, “You know why I don’t fly by myself? Cause if something happened I want it to be Shaq and his producer Shane went down. Yeah, I don’t want that s*** to just to be on myself.  Shaq and ‘his boy’ went down.” He added another story, “I flew by myself one time, and in turbulence, I was like, ‘Oh s*** this ain’t it’. I was like ‘Man never again’.”  So in case you want to buy a jet for yourself, do take note of the above concerns as well!

Shaq may not like flying alone, but his jet is a breathtaking structure that anyone would love to flex.

A look into Shaquille O’Neal’s exorbitant jet

Shaquille O’Neal had initially expressed his concerns about owning a private jet, citing maintenance and fast-paced technology as the reasons. He had also stated, “I don’t want to get screwed in a bad deal. I’ve seen it happen to other guys.” However, in January 2023, the 7’1 NBA star used his $400 million net worth to get a flight suitable for his size.

As per reports, his jet, a Bombardier Challenger 650, costs a whopping $27 million and features his Dunkman logo. Shaq, who had admitted that he wasn’t one for showing off wealth by purchasing a private jet, has a quite hilarious reason to now own one.

He shared in an interview on flying in the business class, “It was a struggle. I always tried to get the first seat. If that wasn’t available, I’d try to go in the back and sit in the exit row. The longer flights were painful. I had two guys snoring on top of me one time.” To avoid hindrances like snoring, the Big Diesel decided to spend $27 million out of his pocket to enjoy some privacy. That’s a way to say you are a millionaire!