he NBA legend told how his first check disappeared between cars, jewelry and family

Shaquille O'Neal tells how he 'burned' his first check: "I spent a...

 

Shaquille O’Neal never went unnoticed. On or off the court, the 2.16-meter colossus with the eternal smile not only dominated the paint like few others, but also left his mark with his overwhelming character. This time, the former player has recalled one of those episodes that only he could have: how he spent his first million dollars in less than an hour.

Fresh out of the 1992 draft, picked by the Orlando Magic, Shaq went from the modest life imposed by his military stepfather to swimming in money in a matter of months. He hadn’t even made his debut when a sports card brand gave him a million-dollar check for using his image. For a 20-year-old, that sounded like infinity.

His dream was clear from a young age: a black Mercedes-Benz. And he didn’t wait a day. As soon as he got the check, he went straight to the dealership. He came out with the car of his dreams… but the story didn’t end there. When he got home, his stepfather looked at the brand new vehicle and threw him a phrase that still resonates: “That’s fine, so where’s mine?” Shaq didn’t hesitate. He went back to the dealership and bought another one. His mother, Lucille, also asked for hers. Third car. Then came the suits, the jewelry, the gifts to friends… the spending convoy was unstoppable.

“I spent a million dollars in about 45 minutes,” he often says with a laugh. “I bought three cars, jewelry… and the next day the bank called me: ‘Son, you’re going to go broke if you keep this up’”. That warning was his first crash course in finance: between taxes and fees, he had barely $600,000 left. Shaq had compromised his finances before he even set foot on a professional court.

An anecdote for the history books

Over time, the giant learned his lesson. He won four rings — three with the Lakers and one with Miami — was MVP and ended up in the Hall of Fame. But above all, he understood how to take care of his money. Today he is an analyst, DJ Diesel, businessman and investor. Of that boy who spent a million in 45 minutes remains the humor and the anecdote that only Shaq could tell with a smile.