Shaquille O'Neal is the most famous person in the world. He is now age 78 years old and is the most popular person in the world. O'Neal has been in many Olympics and won many weightlifting titles, which makes him very powerful. He has been in many other sports and is one of the most popular people in the world.
In this article, we will discuss how tall is Shaquille O'Neal's, his age, awards, net worth, salary, contract, injury, and more.
How Tall Is Shaq? What is his Wingspan?
After years and years of conjecture, O'Neal finally came clean and revealed that he's shorter than you believe after saying for all of his career and more that he was 7 feet and 1 inch tall. Shaq isn't really seven-foot-one tall. Not even seven feet tall, he is. According to the large man, he claims to be only (only?) 6 feet, 11 inches tall.
Shaquille O'Neal is 7 feet 1 inch (2.16 meters) tall and has a wingspan of 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 meters).
He spoke the "truth" on his own podcast, The Big Podcast with Shaq. "I'm not 7'1″. I'm 6'11". I performed as if I were 7'1". And 7' 1" seemed to sound right, you know?
It's challenging to determine Shaq's exact height, especially considering that people typically lose a little bit of height as they get older. He is still listed as standing seven feet and one inch tall on the NBA's official website. O'Neal, who is now 50, continues to be in the spotlight by offering commentary, expressing his ideas, and generally attempting to say things that will spark debate about him and what he has to say.
What else do we truly know about Shaq other than the fact that he frequently appears on Inside the NBA on TNT, which has won numerous awards? No matter what height he is, he is large.
In more ways than we care to know, he has made sure to show the world just how huge he is. The Big Aristotle, The Big Cactus, The Big Diesel, The Big Shamrock, The Big Baryshnikov, The Big Sidekick, and there are undoubtedly more nicknames floating about out there are just a few of the many that he has given himself.
How Big Is Shaq?
Even though his official weight during his playing days was 325 pounds, an eye test would indicate that he frequently weighed more. Shaq was between 330 and 350 pounds, according to some reports. He was above 400 pounds at the time of the COVID-19 outbreak. O'Neal stated in a Men's Health article on him in December 2021 that he wanted to get in the best form of his life.
O'Neal was infamous for working his way into shape during an NBA season by playing; he frequently began a season out of shape and finished the year in shape for the playoffs (one of the many things he and the late Kobe Bryant butted heads on). She and Shaq offered us this gem in the fairly good interview and narrative by Jewel Wicker:
Speaking of energy, Shaq has recently started working out at his personal gym and burning a lot of calories. His weight climbed up to almost 415 pounds during the pandemic. (He played at 325 pounds.) He currently works out for around an hour, four days a week, doing 20 minutes of cardio and 40 minutes of strength training.
For his 50th birthday in March, he wants to lose weight to 350 pounds, get lean enough to "go topless," and publish a thirst trap on Instagram. He clarifies that his fitness objective is to prevent his tummy from protruding past his belt. He expresses a desire to avoid becoming the dreaded "OTBB" or "over-the-belt Barkley."
The latter, of course, is a reference to Charles Barkley, a friend, and fellow employee at Inside the NBA. The two frequently discuss many subjects, including their weight. O'Neal reportedly wears size 22 shoes, and while he was younger and still growing, it was frequently difficult for him to locate a pair of shoes that fit.
The huge man has a big heart, too, as shown by his numerous charity initiatives and attempts to assist others, like purchasing shoes for a current adolescent who is experiencing the same difficulties as he did: locating and affording appropriate footwear.
Are Shaq’s Family Members Also Tall And Big Like Him?
Shaq is a large guy. Therefore, it makes sense that his family members are also big people.
Although they are not over seven feet tall like him, his parents are taller than the norm, according to How They Play. His parents are each 6 feet 2 inches tall, including his mother.
Shaq's offspring are also quite tall. Shareef and Shaqir, two of his sons, are basketball players. Early 20s man Shareef stands 6 feet 11 inches tall. Shaquir, who is in his late teens, is 6 feet 5 inches tall. Myles, the other son of O'Neal, is a 6-foot-2 aspiring model. O'Neal has three further daughters, the heights of whom are unknown. On the other hand, Shaq's daughters seem taller than typical in family portrait shots.
Numerous Shaquille O'Neal's girlfriends and wives are likewise quite tall. Shaunie Nelson, his ex-wife, is reportedly 5 feet 11 inches tall. Actress Annie Ilonzeh, Shaq's current girlfriend, is 5 feet 7 inches tall.
O'Neal once dated TV personality Nicole "Hoopz" Alexander, who is barely 5 feet 2 inches tall, which is interesting, according to ABC News. He, therefore, stood nearly two feet taller than she did.
What is Shaquille O'Neal's Net Worth?
Shaquille O'Neal is a former American basketball player who is also a businessman, television host, and brand ambassador. Shaquille O'Neal has a $400 million net worth as of this writing. Shaq made a total of $292 million in compensation during his NBA career.
During that same time, he received far over $200 million in endorsement payments. Even though Shaq has been retired for a while, he still makes over $60 million a year through endorsements and other ventures.
Key Facts
- Earned $292 million in NBA salary
- He earned $200 million from endorsements while playing in the NBA
- Actually earns more money in retirement today
- Typically earns around $60 million per year
- Spent his first $1m NBA salary in 30 minutes
Early Life
Lucille O'Neal and Joe Toney welcomed Shaquille O'Neal into the world on March 6, 1972, in Newark, New Jersey. When O'Neal was a little child, his drug-addicted father was sentenced to prison for drug possession. His father left shortly after Shaq was born after his release from prison, and his parents never wed.
O'Neal and his father had a long-standing rift. His mother wed Phillip Harrison, a sergeant in the American Army when he was two years old. O'Neal credits the Boys and Girls Club of America with keeping him off the streets while he was growing up because he was a member of the group.
The family relocated from Newark to Texas and Germany. Shaq began to receive recognition for his basketball skills while still a high school student. He led the Robert G. Cole High School squad in San Antonio to the state title during his senior year.
O'Neal continued his career at Louisiana State University, where he earned two SEC Player of the Year awards and two All-American selections. In 1991, he also won the Adolph Rupp's Trophy as the best basketball player in the NCAA.
NBA Superstar
O'Neal was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic in 1992. He won the Rookie of the Year award and was selected as an All-Star starter, feats last done by Michael Jordan a year later. Shaq assisted the Magic in reaching their first playoff round in his second season. They reached the championship game the next year but fell to the Houston Rockets.
O'Neal missed much of the 1995–96 season due to injuries, but the Orlando Magic still had a winning record at the end of the regular season. O'Neal and the Magic won the first two rounds of the playoffs that year, but Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls finally prevailed.
O'Neal competed for the men's Olympic basketball team in Atlanta in 1996. The squad went on to win the gold medal at the Olympics. As tensions increased between O'Neal's coach, his teammates, and the local Orlando media during the Olympics, he proclaimed his intention to join the Los Angeles Lakers. O'Neal was given a seven-year, $121 million contract by the Lakers.
O'Neal and a young Kobe Bryant were partnered together on this team, joining two of the biggest names in the game. Although his first few seasons with the Lakers were promising, they were unsuccessful in winning a title. Up until a change in leadership, O'Neal struggled with injuries and personnel changes.
The Lakers were put on a course that would make them a dominant force for years to come when former Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson joined the team in the 1999–2000 season. O'Neal was pushed by Jackson, who also encouraged him to improve his defense.
That year, Shaquille and the Lakers won the NBA championship, and they went on to repeat as champions for the next two years.
In 2004, O'Neal was dealt to the Miami Heat. The following year, Shaq agreed to a $100 million, five-year deal with the team. Even though he probably could have asked for more money, he said that he wanted another championship. The Heat defeated the Dallas Mavericks to win the team's first championship and O'Neal's fourth, giving the team it's shot the very next season.
O'Neal stopped signing long-term contracts with teams starting in 2008. He was moved to the Phoenix Suns that season, as he failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since his rookie campaign.
He was traded at the conclusion of his first season with the team to free up money. There would be other one-year assignments after that, including his final season with the Boston Celtics and stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers (with Lebron James).
Highlights
Here are a few of Shaq's career's high points:
- NBA Champion (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006)
- NBA finals MVP (2000, 2001, 2002)
- 15 Time NBA All-Star
- NBA All-Rookie First Team (1993)
- Olympic Gold Medalist (1996)
Shaquille O'Neal Salary
What was the maximum pay for Shaquille O'Neal? USD 27 Million
Salary by year and team:
- 1992-93 Orlando Magic $3,000,000
- 1993-94 Orlando Magic $3,900,000
- 1994-95 Orlando Magic $4,800,000
- 1995-96 Orlando Magic $5,700,000
- 1996-97 Los Angeles Lakers $10,714,000
- 1997-98 Los Angeles Lakers $12,857,143
- 1998-99 Los Angeles Lakers $15,000,000
- 1999-00 Los Angeles Lakers $17,142,858
- 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers $19,285,715
- 2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers $21,428,572
- 2002-03 Los Angeles Lakers $23,571,429
- 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers $24,749,999
- 2004-05 Miami Heat $27,696,430
- 2005-06 Miami Heat $20,000,000
- 2006-07 Miami Heat $20,000,000
- 2007-08 Phoenix Suns $20,000,000
- 2008-09 Phoenix Suns $21,000,000
- 2009-10 Cleveland Cavaliers $20,000,000
- 2010-11 Boston Celtics $1,352,181
Total career NBA earnings = $292,198,327
Other Media and Business Ventures
Shaq was rapidly rising to fame in the early 1990s as he explored possibilities in the rap and movie industries. He made appearances in movies including "Blue Chips" and "Kazamm." In addition, he has appeared in a number of other movies and TV shows, such as "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "The Parkers." "Shaq Diesel," his debut rap album, was released in 1993 and went on to receive platinum certification.
Under the moniker DIESEL, he still performs as a DJ and makes music. Shaq has also appeared in a number of video games during the course of his career.
O'Neal has also appeared in a number of reality TV shows and runs his own podcast. Other media responsibilities include being a regular NBA game analyst and even having a brief professional wrestling career.
Since the 1990s, O'Neal has been involved in both the stock market and real estate. He has demonstrated a keen interest in business as well. His appointment to Papa John's Board of Directors was announced on March 22, 2019. Shaq will make $8.25 million over the course of three years from the position in salary and stock. Additionally, he is spending $840,000 of his own money to purchase 30% of a Papa John's franchise with 9 locations in Atlanta.
Shaq invested $5 million for a 1% ownership in the Sacramento Kings of the NBA in 2013. Shaq sold his team stock in August 2021, so he could become the face of WynnBET, an online gambling enterprise. For $11 million, he sold his own part in the Kings.
Endorsements
Shaquille O'Neal has embraced endorsements more than most players. As an instantly identifiable figure, he has been sought after as a spokesperson by numerous businesses.
Among his more well-known endorsements are those for Pepsi, Carnival Cruise Line, and Reebok. It would take too long to include all of Shaq's endorsement agreements and commercial appearances.
Academic Achievements
Shaquille O'Neal's achievement of earning a doctorate in education is one of his many notable achievements. O'Neal enrolled in the program at Barry University after getting his master's degree from the private Catholic University of Phoenix.
The course, which O'Neal mostly finished online over a number of years, was a reflection of his enthusiasm for learning and desire to keep pushing himself.
Personal Life
In December 2002, Shaquille Johnson wed Shaunie Nelson. Together, they are parents of Shareef, Amirah, Shaqir, and Me'arah. Taahirah, a child from Shaq's previous union with Arnetta Yardbourgh, is another child. In September 2007, O'Neal informed Shaunie that he was divorcing her.
Shaunie filed for divorce in November 2009, but they later changed their minds and withdrew their divorce. She mentioned insurmountable disagreements. O'Neal dated Nicole Alexander, a reality TV actress, from 2010 to 2012. Shaq has been dating the model Laticia Rolle since 2014.
O'Neal covered all of George Mikan's burial costs after the Hall of Fame center passed away in June 2005.
Real Estate
Shaq's primary abode for several of the most recent years was a massive 12-bedroom estate in Orlando. The main house has a 17-car garage, a 10-foot privacy wall, a 6,000-square-foot indoor basketball court, and is 35,000 square feet in size. Shaq spent $4 million on the land for his house back in 1993 and then had a custom palace built on it.
In May 2018, he initially put the house on the market for $28 million. In January 2019, he reduced the cost to $22 million. It is situated inside the Isleworth Golf & Country Club, a restricted neighborhood.
Shaq reduced the property's asking price to $19.5 million in September 2020. In January 2021, he eventually consented to $16.5 million. View the virtual tour here:
Shaq has a 15-acre suburban Atlanta property outside of Florida that he paid $1.15 million for in 2017.
He spent $1.8 million on a property in the gated neighborhood of Bell Canyon, a LA suburb, in 2018. At the end of 2019, he put this house on the market for $2.5 million.
Conclusion
Shaquille O'Neal is one of the tallest players in the NBA. He's also one of the heaviest, weighing in at 325 pounds. Not surprisingly, Shaq is an excellent rebounder and a dominant force on the court. Throughout his career, he has been named an All-Star numerous times and was the league MVP in 2000. He has also won four championships, three with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Miami Heat. Off the court, Shaq is also well-known for his sense of humor. He has appeared in several movies and TV shows and even has his own line of sneakers.