Shaquille O'Neal

College career

After graduating from high school in 1989, O'Neal studied business at Louisiana State University (LSU), where he joined the Theta Kappa chapter of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He played basketball for the LSU Tigers under coach Dale Brown, whom he had met years earlier at the U.S. Army base in Wildflecken, West Germany, where his stepfather was stationed. While playing for LSU, O'Neal was a two-time All-American, two-time SEC Player of the Year, and received the Adolph Rupp Trophy as NCAA men's basketball player of the year in 1991. He was also named college player of the year by the Associated Press and UPI. O'Neal left LSU after three years to pursue his NBA career, but later returned to the university, earning a bachelor's degree in general studies with a minor in political science in 2000. He was later inducted into the LSU Hall of Fame. A 900-pound (410 kg) bronze statue of O'Neal is located in front of the LSU Basketball Practice Facility.

Education

In addition to earning a bachelor's degree from Louisiana State University (LSU) in 2000, O'Neal earned an online MBA degree through the University of Phoenix in 2005 and an Ed.D. degree in Human Resource Development from Barry University in 2012. His doctoral capstone topic at Barry was "The Duality of Humor and Aggression in Leadership Styles". In 2026, O'Neal earned a Master of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from LSU.

In 2009, O'Neal attended the Sportscaster U. training camp at Syracuse University. In 2011, he graduated from the New York Film Academy's Filmmaking Conservatory, where he studied directing and cinematography.

Los Angeles Lakers (1996–2004)

O'Neal became a free agent after the 1995–96 NBA season. While he was weighing his options during the summer of 1996, and amid an ongoing power struggle between him and coach Brian Hill, the Orlando Sentinel published a poll asking whether the Magic should fire Hill if that were one of O'Neal's conditions for staying with the team, and whether O'Neal was worth the $115 million the Magic had offered him. The vast majority of respondents replied "no" to both questions. O'Neal was reportedly upset by the poll results and by earlier assertions in the Orlando media that he was not a good role model because he had a child with his longtime girlfriend with no immediate plans to marry.

At the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, O'Neal and the U.S. Olympic basketball team won the gold medal. Near the start of the Olympics, it was announced that O'Neal would join the Los Angeles Lakers on a seven-year, $121 million contract. O'Neal insisted he did not choose the Lakers for the money. He switched his jersey to No. 34, as the No. 32 jersey he had worn in Orlando had been retired by the Lakers in honor of Magic Johnson, and the No. 33 jersey he had worn at LSU had been retired in honor of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The No. 34 jersey was also chosen in honor of his stepfather, who wore that number in the Army.

First two seasons (1996–1998)

The Lakers won 56 games during the 1996–97 season. O'Neal averaged 26.2 points and 12.5 rebounds in his first season with the team, but missed over 30 games due to injuries. The Lakers made the playoffs, but were eliminated in the second round by the Utah Jazz in five games. In his first playoff game for the Lakers, O'Neal scored 46 points against the Portland Trail Blazers, the most for a Lakers player in a playoff game since Jerry West's 53 points in 1969. On December 17, 1996, O'Neal shoved Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls; the Los Angeles Daily News later reported that O'Neal was willing to be suspended for fighting Rodman.

During the 1997–98 season, O'Neal averaged 28.3 points and 11.4 rebounds with a 58.4 field goal percentage. It was the first of four consecutive seasons in which he led the league in field goal percentage. The Lakers finished the season 61–21, first in the Pacific Division, and were the second seed in the Western Conference during the 1998 NBA Playoffs. After defeating the Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle SuperSonics in the first two rounds, the Lakers again lost to the Jazz, this time in a 4–0 sweep.

O'Neal–Bryant tandem buildup (1998–1999)

With the tandem of O'Neal and the Lakers' teenage superstar Kobe Bryant, expectations for the team increased, although personnel changes led to instability during the 1998–99 season. The Lakers traded long-time point guard Nick Van Exel to the Denver Nuggets, and acquired Glen Rice from the Charlotte Hornets to satisfy O'Neal's demand for a strong shooter. Coach Del Harris was fired, and former Lakers forward Kurt Rambis finished the season as head coach. The Lakers finished with a 31–19 record during the lockout-shortened season. Although they made the playoffs, they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs, led by Tim Duncan and David Robinson, in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

MVP and championship seasons (1999–2002)

Before the 1999–2000 season, the Lakers hired Phil Jackson as head coach. During a game against the Houston Rockets in November 1999, O'Neal blocked a layup by the Rockets' Charles Barkley. O'Neal then shoved Barkley, who responded by throwing the ball at O'Neal; both players were ejected from the game. On O'Neal's 28th birthday on March 6, 2000, he scored a career-high 61 points to go along with 23 rebounds and 3 assists in a 123–103 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. It was the most recent game in NBA history during which a player scored 60 or more points without scoring a 3-pointer until Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 64 points against the Indiana Pacers on December 13, 2023.

O'Neal was also voted the 1999–2000 regular season Most Valuable Player, one vote short of becoming the first unanimous MVP in NBA history. Fred Hickman, then of CNN, instead chose Allen Iverson, then of the Philadelphia 76ers, who went on to win MVP the next season. O'Neal also won the scoring title while finishing second in rebounds and third in blocked shots. Jackson's influence resulted in a newfound commitment by O'Neal to defense, resulting in his first All-Defensive Team selection (second-team) in 2000.

In the 2001 NBA Finals against the 76ers, O'Neal fouled out in Game 3 backing over Dikembe Mutombo, the 2000–2001 Defensive Player of the Year. "I didn't think the best defensive player in the game would be flopping like that. It's a shame that the referees buy into that", O'Neal said. "I wish he'd stand up and play me like a man instead of flopping and crying every time I back him down.

A month before the 2001–02 season's training camp, O'Neal had corrective surgery for a claw toe deformity in the smallest toe of his left foot. He opted against a more involved surgery in favor of a quicker return. He was ready for the start of the 2001–02 regular season, but the toe frequently bothered him.

In January 2002, O'Neal was involved in an on-court brawl in a game against the Chicago Bulls. He punched center Brad Miller after Miller intentionally fouled him to prevent a basket, resulting in a melee with Miller, forward Charles Oakley, and several other players. O'Neal was suspended for three games without pay and fined $15,000. For the season, O'Neal averaged 27.2 points and 10.7 rebounds, statistics which were below his career average; he was less of a defensive force during the season.

Matched up against the Sacramento Kings in the 2002 Western Conference finals, O'Neal said, "There is only one way to beat us. It starts with c and ends with t." O'Neal meant "cheat", alluding to the alleged flopping of Kings center Vlade Divac. O'Neal referred to Divac as "she" and said he would never exaggerate contact to draw a foul. "I'm a guy with no talent who has gotten this way with hard work."

After the 2001–2002 season, O'Neal told friends that he did not want another season of limping and being in virtually constant pain from his big right toe. His trademark mobility and explosion had been often absent. The corrective options ranged from reconstructive surgery on the toe to rehabilitation exercises with more shoe inserts and anti-inflammation medication. O'Neal was wary of the long-term damage his frequent consumption of these medications might have. He did not want to rush a decision with his career at risk.

Using Jackson's triangle offense, O'Neal and Bryant enjoyed tremendous success, leading the Lakers to three consecutive titles (2000, 2001, and 2002). O'Neal was named MVP of the NBA Finals all three times and had the highest scoring average for a center in NBA Finals history.

Toe surgery to departure (2002–2004)

O'Neal missed the first 12 games of the 2002–03 season recovering from toe surgery. He was sidelined with hallux rigidus, a degenerative arthritis in his toe. He waited the whole summer until just before training camp for the surgery and explained, "I got hurt on company time, so I'll heal on company time." O'Neal debated whether to have a more invasive surgery that would have kept him out an additional three months, but he opted against the procedure. The Lakers started the season with a record of 11–19. At the end of the season, the Lakers had fallen to the fifth seed and failed to reach the Finals in 2003.

For the 2003–04 season, the team made a concerted off-season effort to improve its roster. They sought the free-agent services of two aging stars—forward Karl Malone and guard Gary Payton—but due to salary cap restrictions, could not offer either player nearly as much money as he could have made with some other teams. O'Neal assisted in the recruitment efforts and personally persuaded both men to join the squad, each forgoing larger salaries in favor of a chance to win an NBA championship. At the beginning of the 2003–04 season, O'Neal wanted a contract extension with a pay raise on his remaining three years for $30 million. The Lakers had hoped O'Neal would take less money due to his age, physical conditioning, and games missed due to injuries. During a preseason game, O'Neal had yelled at Lakers owner Jerry Buss, "Pay me." There had been increasing tension between O'Neal and Bryant. The feud climaxed during training camp before the 2003–2004 season when Bryant, in an interview with ESPN journalist Jim Gray, criticized O'Neal for being out of shape, a poor leader, and putting his salary demands over the interests of the team.

The Lakers made the playoffs in 2004 and lost to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals. Lakers assistant coach Tex Winter said, "Shaq defeated himself against Detroit. He played way too passively. He had one big game... He's always interested in being a scorer, but he hasn't had nearly enough concentration on defense and rebounding". After the series, O'Neal was angered by comments made by Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak about O'Neal's future with the club and by the departure of Lakers coach Phil Jackson at the request of Buss. O'Neal indicated that he felt the team's decisions were centered on a desire to appease Bryant, and O'Neal promptly demanded a trade. Kupchak wanted the Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki in return but Mavericks owner Mark Cuban refused to let his 7-footer go. After Miami showed interest in O'Neal, the two clubs agreed on a trade. Winter said, O'Neal "left because he couldn't get what he wanted—a huge pay raise. There was no way ownership could give him what he wanted. Shaq's demands held the franchise hostage, and the way he went about it didn't please the owner too much."

Miami Heat (2004–2008)

MVP runner-up (2004–2005)

On July 14, 2004, O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and a future first-round draft choice (the Lakers used the draft choice to select Jordan Farmar in the 2006 draft). O'Neal reverted from his Lakers jersey number 34 to number 32, which he had worn while playing for the Magic. Upon signing with the Heat, O'Neal promised the fans that he would bring a championship to Miami. He claimed one of the main reasons for wanting to be traded to Miami was because of their up-and-coming star Dwyane Wade, to whom he gave the nickname "Flash". With O'Neal on board, the new-look Heat surpassed expectations, claiming the best record in the Eastern Conference in 2004–05 with 59 wins. He played in 73 games, his most since the 2001 season, and averaged 22.9 points a game along with 10.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. O'Neal made his 12th consecutive All-Star Team, made the All-NBA 1st Team, and won the Eastern Conference Player of the Month award for his performance in March. O'Neal also narrowly lost the 2004–05 MVP Award to Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash in one of the closest votes in NBA history.

Despite being hobbled by a deep thigh bruise, O'Neal led the Heat to the Eastern Conference finals and a game 7 against the defending champion Detroit Pistons, losing by a narrow margin. Afterwards, O'Neal and others criticized Heat head coach Stan Van Gundy for not calling enough plays for O'Neal.

In August 2005, O'Neal signed a 5-year-extension with the Heat for $100 million. Supporters applauded O'Neal's willingness to take what amounted to a pay cut and the Heat's decision to secure O'Neal's services for the long term. They contended that O'Neal was worth more than $20 million per year, particularly given that lesser players earned almost the same amount.

Fourth championship (2005–2006)

In the second game of the 2005–06 season, O'Neal injured his right ankle and missed the next 18 games. Upon O'Neal's return, Van Gundy resigned, citing family reasons, and Pat Riley assumed head coach responsibilities. O'Neal later referred to Van Gundy as a "frontrunner" and a "master of panic". Many critics stated that Heat coach Riley correctly managed O'Neal during the rest of the season, limiting his minutes to a career low. Riley felt doing so would allow O'Neal to be healthier and fresher come playoff time. Although O'Neal averaged career lows (or near-lows) in points, rebounds, and blocks, he said in an interview, "Stats don't matter. I care about winning, not stats. If I score zero points and we win I'm happy. If I score 50, 60 points, break the records, and we lose, I'm pissed off. 'Cause I knew I did something wrong. I'll have a hell of a season if I win the championship and average 20 points a game." During the 2005–06 season, the Heat recorded only a.500 record without O'Neal in the line-up.

On April 11, 2006, O'Neal recorded his second career triple-double against the Toronto Raptors with 15 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists. O'Neal finished the 2005–06 season as the league leader in field goal percentage.

In the 2006 NBA Playoffs, the Heat first faced the younger Chicago Bulls, and O'Neal delivered a dominating 27-point, 16-rebound and 5-block performance in game 1 followed by a 22-point effort in game 2 to help Miami take a 2–0 lead in the series. Chicago would respond with two dominating performances at home to tie the series, but Miami would come right back with a victory at home in game 5. Miami returned to Chicago and closed out the series in the 6th game, highlighted by another dominating performance by O'Neal who finished with 30 points and 20 rebounds. Miami advanced to face New Jersey, who won a surprising game 1 victory before the Heat won four straight to assure a rematch with Detroit. The Pistons had no answer for Wade throughout the series, while O'Neal delivered 21 points and 12 rebounds in game 3 followed by 27 points and 12 boards in game 4 to help Miami take a 3–1 series lead. The Pistons would win game 5 in Detroit, and Wade would once again get injured, but the Heat

held on to win game 6 with O'Neal scoring 28 points with 16 rebounds and 5 blocks to help Miami reach their first-ever NBA Finals.

In the Finals, the Heat were underdogs against the Dallas Mavericks led by Dirk Nowitzki, and the Mavericks won the first two games at home in dominating fashion. The Heat, led by Wade and a balanced effort by O'Neal, Antoine Walker, and Jason Williams, won the next three games at home, then won Game 6 in Dallas to deliver the first NBA title for the franchise and O'Neal's fourth title. With Wade carrying the offensive load, O'Neal did not need to have a dominating series; he averaged 13.7 points and 10.2 rebounds.

Surgery and Wade's injury (2006–2007)

In the 2006–07 season, O'Neal missed 35 games after an injury to his left knee in November required surgery. After one of those missed games, a Christmas Day matchup against the Lakers, he ripped Jackson, whom O'Neal had once called a second father, referring to his former coach as "Benedict Arnold". Jackson had previously said, "The only person I've ever [coached] that hasn't been a worker... is probably Shaq." The Heat struggled during O'Neal's absence, but with his return won seven of their next eight games. Bad luck still haunted the squad, however, as Wade dislocated his left shoulder, leaving O'Neal as the focus of the team. Critics doubted that O'Neal, now in his mid-30s, could carry the team into the playoffs. The Heat went on a winning streak that kept them in the race for a playoff spot, which they finally secured against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 5.

In a rematch of the previous year, the Heat faced the Bulls in the first round of the 2006–07 NBA playoffs. The Heat struggled against the Bulls and although O'Neal put up reasonable numbers, he was not able to dominate the series. The Bulls swept the Heat, the first time in 50 years a defending NBA champion was swept in the opening round. It was the first time in 13 years that O'Neal did not advance into the second round. In the 2006–07 season O'Neal reached 25,000 career points, becoming the 14th player in NBA history to accomplish that milestone. However, it was the first season in O'Neal's career that his scoring average dropped below 20 points per game.

Career lows and disagreements (2007–2008)

O'Neal experienced a rough start for the 2007–08 season, averaging career lows in points, rebounds, and blocks. His role in the offense diminished, as he attempted only 10 field goals per game, versus his career average of 17. In addition, O'Neal was plagued by fouls, and during one stretch fouled out of five consecutive games. O'Neal's streak of 14 straight All-Star appearances ended that season. O'Neal again missed games due to injuries, and the Heat had a 15–game losing streak. According to O'Neal, Riley thought he was faking the injury. During a practice in February 2008, O'Neal got into an altercation with Riley over the coach ordering a tardy Jason Williams to leave practice. The two argued face-to-face, with O'Neal poking Riley in the chest and Riley slapping his finger away. Riley soon after decided to trade O'Neal. O'Neal said his relationship with Wade was not "all that good" by the time he left Miami, but he did not express disappointment at Wade for failing to stand up for him.

Business ventures

As of 2022, O'Neal was among the five wealthiest NBA players, with a net worth of $400 million.

He was an active bond investor in the early 1990s but also bought stocks, including General Electric, Apple, and PepsiCo. He said stock investing worked best for him when he felt a personal connection with the company. O'Neal was an early investor in Google. In June 2015, he invested in technology startup Loyale3 Holdings Inc., a San Francisco brokerage firm whose website and mobile app enables companies to sell a piece of their IPOs directly to small investors who put up as a little as $100 and also allows investors to regularly buy small amounts of shares in already public companies.

He has appeared in television commercials promoting the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive league ELeague. O'Neal refused to endorse Wheaties cereal because he preferred Frosted Flakes.

O'Neal has been a real estate entrepreneur. With Boraie Development, O'Neal has developed projects in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey, including CityPlex12 and One Riverview. He sought to help Orlando homeowners facing foreclosure by buying the mortgages and selling the homes back to them under more affordable terms.

O'Neal is on the advisory board for Tout Industries, a social video service based in San Francisco. He received the position in return for breaking news of his NBA retirement on the service.

In September 2013, O'Neal became a minority owner of the Sacramento Kings professional basketball team. In April 2018, O'Neal was named the general manager of Kings Guard Gaming, the Kings' NBA 2K League affiliate. In January 2022, O'Neal sold his stake in the Kings.

O'Neal is an investor in esports team NRG Esports.

O'Neal favors franchising businesses because of their simplicity and proven success. In late 2016, he purchased the Krispy Kreme location at 295 Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta. O'Neal is also the global spokesperson for the company. He owned, and later sold, 155 Five Guys fast food restaurants—about 10% of all locations—and owns 17 Auntie Anne's restaurants. O'Neal also owns 150 car washes, 40 health clubs, a movie theater in Newark, and the Big Chicken brand of chicken sandwiches.

In 2018, O'Neal created Shaq's Fun House, an annual music festival, circus, and carnival, with Medium Rare. The event usually features celebrity DJs and performers. In 2022, O'Neal premiered Shaqtoberfest, a Halloween event in Long Beach, California.

In early 2019, O'Neal joined the Papa John's board of directors and invested in nine stores in the Atlanta area. As part of the three-year contract, he became the spokesperson for the company. The next year, Papa John's introduced the Shaq-a-Roni, a pizza dedicated to O'Neal.

In 2021, O'Neal, among other high-profile athletes and celebrities, was a paid spokesperson for FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange. In November 2022, FTX filed for bankruptcy, wiping out billions of dollars in customer funds as well as O'Neal's personal stake in the company. He, alongside other spokespeople, was sued for promoting unregistered securities. In February 2022, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a lawsuit against Bitconnect that the Securities Act of 1933 extends to targeted solicitation using social media. In June 2025, O'Neal settled the FTX-related lawsuit against him, agreeing to pay $1.8 million.

In October 2023, O'Neal was named Reebok's President of Basketball.

On Valentine's Day of 2025, O'Neal posted an AI generated video of him marrying, and subsequently having kids with, Marilyn Monroe. This video gained attention, and some controversy due to his stake in Authentic Brands Group, who owns her likeness rights. Some people also likened the post to objectifying Monroe, treating her more like a prop than a person.

In April 2026, it was announced that O'Neal, Authentic Brands Group, and TNT Sports were establishing a professional slam dunk league, Dunkman, in the summer of that year. O'Neal will serve as the league's commissioner.

Other

O'Neal endorsed New Jersey governor Chris Christie in his 2013 reelection bid, and appeared in a television advertisement for him. O'Neal participated in a virtual rally for presidential candidate Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 presidential election, which was the first election in which O'Neal voted. In 2016, O'Neal purchased a 14.3-acre, two-house compound in McDonough, Georgia, for $1.15 million. O'Neal has obstructive sleep apnea.

O'Neal turned down a $40 million deal with Reebok after hearing a mother complain about how expensive his shoes were.

Law enforcement

O'Neal trained at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Reserve Academy and became a reserve officer with the Los Angeles Port Police. In 2005, he became a Miami Beach reserve officer and an honorary U.S. Deputy Marshal. He was the spokesman for the Safe Surfin' Foundation; he served an honorary role on the task force of the same name, which tracks down sexual predators who target children on the Internet.

In September 2006, O'Neal took part in a raid on a home in rural Bedford County, Virginia. O'Neal had been made an "honorary deputy" by the local sheriff's department. O'Neal was not qualified as a SWAT officer.

In June 2008, the Bedford County, Virginia, and Maricopa County, Arizona, sheriff departments revoked O'Neal's special deputyship after a video surfaced of him rapping about Kobe Bryant and using racial slurs.

On January 20, 2015, O'Neal was sworn in as a reserve officer for Doral, Florida's police force. In December 2016, O'Neal was sworn in as a sheriff's deputy in Jonesboro, Georgia, as part of Clayton County, Georgia Sheriff's Department. O'Neal holds the county record of Tallest Sheriff's Deputy.

On September 19, 2026, O'Neal was declared an honorary FBI special agent by FBI Director Kash Patel. Patel stated that he did this because of O'Neal's love and support for all law enforcement.

Acting

In the 1990s, O'Neal appeared in the films Blue Chips (1994), Kazaam (1996) and Steel (1997), all of which fared poorly with critics. O'Neal appeared as himself on an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, bedridden after Larry David's character accidentally tripped him while stretching, and in two episodes each of My Wife and Kids and The Parkers. He appeared in cameo roles in the films Freddy Got Fingered, Jack and Jill and Scary Movie 4. O'Neal appeared in the 311 music video for the hit single "You Wouldn't Believe" in 2001, in P. Diddy's video for "Bad Boy for Life", the video for Aaron Carter's "That's How I Beat Shaq", the video for Owl City's "Vanilla Twilight" and the video for Maroon 5's "Don't Wanna Know". O'Neal appeared in the movie CB4 in a small "interviewing" scene. O'Neal appeared in a SportsCenter commercial dressed in his Miami police uniform, rescuing Mike the Tiger from a tree. O'Neal reportedly wanted a role in X2 (2003), the second installment of the X-Men film series, but was ignored by the filmmakers. O'Neal appeared as Officer Fluzoo in the comedy sequel Grown Ups 2.

He voiced animated versions of himself on several occasions, including in the animated series Static Shock (2002; episode "Static Shaq"), in Johnny Bravo (1997; episode "Back on Shaq"), in Uncle Grandpa (2014; episode "Perfect Kid"), and in The Lego Movie (2014). He also had a voice over role in the 2013 film The Smurfs 2.

Video games

O'Neal was featured on the covers of video games NBA Live 96, NBA 2K6, NBA 2K7, NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC, NBA Hoopz, and NBA Inside Drive 2004. O'Neal appeared in the arcade version of NBA Jam (1993), NBA Jam (2003), NBA Ballers (2004), NBA Live 2004, and NBA Ballers: Phenom (2006) as a current player and as a 1990s All-Star. O'Neal starred in Shaq Fu, a fighting game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis. A sequel, Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn, was released in 2018. O'Neal also appeared in Quest for the Code in 2002 as a voice actor, Backyard Basketball in 2004, Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 as a playable boxer, and as an unlockable character in Delta Force: Black Hawk Down. O'Neal was also an unlockable character in UFC Undisputed 2010. In 2024, O'Neal collaborated with Fortnite to appear as player skins, including his DJ Diesel persona and rendition as LEGO minifigure in LEGO Fortnite.

Television

O'Neal and his mother were featured in the documentary film Apple Pie, which aired on ESPN. O'Neal had a 2005 reality series on ESPN, Shaquille, and hosted a series called Shaq's Big Challenge on ABC.

O'Neal also participated in the 2002 Discovery Channel special Motorcycle Mania 2, requesting an exceptionally large bike to fit his large size from famed custom motorcycle builder Jesse James; in addition to this, O'Neal also appeared in the first Idol Gives Back in 2007, on an episode of Fear Factor, and on an episode of MTV's Jackass, where he was lifted off the ground on Wee Man's back. O'Neal was a professional wrestling fan and made appearances at many WWE and AEW events.

O'Neal starred in a reality show called Shaq Vs. which premiered on August 18, 2009, on ABC. The show featured O'Neal competing against other athletes at their own sports.

On July 14, 2011, O'Neal announced that he would join Turner Network Television (TNT) as an analyst on its NBA basketball games, joining Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley.

He hosted the show Upload with Shaquille O'Neal which aired on TruTV for one season.

In 2015, O'Neal appeared in the South Korean variety television show Off to School, which involved him attending Seo Incheon High School for three days.

In October 2022, O'Neal signed a long-term contract extension with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports to continue as a host on Inside the NBA.

On May 3, 2024, O'Neal was announced as one of the co-hosts (along with Gina Rodriguez) of the upcoming ABC game show Lucky 13. The series premiered on July 18, 2024.

Netflix released Power Moves worldwide on June 4, 2025, starring Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson (A.I.). The series follows O'Neal and Iverson as they take on the challenge of reviving the Reebok brand, which had nearly disappeared under Adidas's ownership. Alongside sponsorship deals with young athletes like WNBA star Angel Reese, they aim to revitalize the brand's cultural image.

O'Neal served as a judge on the slam dunk competition show Dunkman. The six-episode series aired in December 2025 on TNT, TruTV, and HBO Max.

Advertising

O'Neal has appeared in commercials for Reebok, Nestlé Crunch, Gold Bond, Buick, The General, Papa John's, Hulu, Epson, Carnival Cruises, Frosted Flakes, American Express, Vitamin Water, and IcyHot.