Shaquille O’Neal is once again proving why he’s one of the most beloved figures in and out of sports. On a recent episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, the Hall of Fame center revealed a deeply personal mission he’s been pursuing: buying and rebuilding a school in his old neighborhood of Jersey City, New Jersey.
“There’s a school that I’m trying, it’s the number 14 school in Jersey City on Oak Street. The school is in bad shape, but my grandmother lived in 93 and 100, and I went to the city a million times and asked them to let me buy the school. They’re messing around, but I would like to buy the school.”
“I’d fix it up. Yeah, I’d give them new paint, I’d give them new technology, I’d give them a computer. I used to play on the court. The court’s all messed like I would just fix everything up.”
Shaquille O’Neal is no stranger to acts of generosity, but this one hits particularly close to home. He’s long been vocal about his connection to Jersey City and wanting to give back to the community that raised him. Buying and rebuilding Public School No. 14 is more than a business move; it’s a legacy gesture.
O’Neal’s track record of philanthropy is as towering as his 7’1″ frame. He once gifted a guitar to a child after a surprise duet, bought a $1,000 phone for a random woman at Best Buy, and famously sent 20 pairs of size 23 shoes to a teenage boy who couldn’t afford his own.
He’s also donated DJ earnings to shooting victims’ families, bought washers and dryers for strangers at Home Depot, and annually purchases toys for thousands of underprivileged children across America.
Shaq’s business empire is equally impressive. With an estimated net worth of $450 million, he’s invested in everything from real estate, Papa John’s franchises, and gyms to car washes and tech startups.
He owns several Krispy Kreme franchises, was once an early investor in Google, and remains a prominent face of The General Insurance and Icy Hot. Perhaps most famously, he’s sold over 400 million pairs of affordable shoes through Walmart, aimed at helping struggling families clothe their kids with dignity.
Whether it’s shoes, scholarships, or schools, Shaquille O’Neal’s guiding philosophy remains simple: use wealth to change lives. Buying School No. 14 would be yet another chapter in a lifelong mission to lift others up, especially those who walk the same streets he once did.
Shaq’s message to Jersey City is clear: he’s not done giving back, and when it comes to building a brighter future, he’s still the most dominant force around — not just on the court, but in the community.
