Newsletter
Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Reading: Shaquille O’Neal Reveals How He Spent His Whole Check Of $10 Million In Just Three Months
Fadeaway WorldFadeaway World
Search
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Follow US
Home > NBA News & Analysis > Shaquille O’Neal Reveals How He Spent His Whole Check Of $10 Million In Just Three Months

Shaquille O’Neal Reveals How He Spent His Whole Check Of $10 Million In Just Three Months

Shaquille O'Neal spent his $10 million check on his first massive NBA deal in just three months because he thought he had more money.

Divij Kulkarni
Jun 12, 2023
4 Min Read
Share

Credit: Fadeaway World

Shaquille O’Neal made $250 million in salary alone during his time in the NBA. He used that as a platform to launch a business empire that is now worth well over $400 million. But just because his contracts added up to $250 million, doesn’t mean he got all of that. 

Shaquille O’Neal signed his first big deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, worth $120 million over seven years. And he got paid over $20 million in salary for the first time in the 2001-02 season. But thanks to taxes, he only got a check worth half of that and he revealed how he spent it. 

“If you do a $100 million contract, you ain’t getting $100 million,” Shaq said on Drink Champs. “But you spend like you got $100 million. And that be the problem. My first check was $20 million, what I got was $10,900,000. Yeah, FICA, States, all the taxes, right? But I didn’t realize that, I went and got a house for $5 million. 

“I like to spend money, I don’t like to waste money. I don’t wanna spend $400,000 for a car. So I’m like, ‘Hey man how much is this? Nah. How much is this one?’ So finally the old guy says, ‘Yo man, you asked about all these cars, can you afford them?’ Now I’m pissed. I said, ‘What the f**k you just said to me?’ So I buy three. 

“That one, that one, and that one, and I want them dropped off. Move the seat back. So I got 3 Rolls-Royces that I never drive. So there goes another million. So I spent that $10 million in three months, the whole summer. And then my guy called me and said, ‘You know you spent your whole check?’”

Only Shaquille O’Neal can get away with being like this, thankfully, he also had massive endorsement deals on the side that likely meant he didn’t have to worry about money. And by this point in his career, O’Neal had already made over $100 million, so he was fine. It’s still a crazy amount to spend that fast though. 


Shaquille O’Neal Got Advice From His Mother About The Way He Was Spending His Money

Shaq’s father played a big role in keeping him humble, always giving him the perspective of people that were struggling to keep him grounded. His mother was also not far behind, especially when it came to him buying Rolls Royce cars. He spoke about the time his mom, Lucille, checked him for flexing his car on Instagram.  

“I’ll tell you a true story. I bought a Rolls Royce and I’m flexing on Instagram. My mother was pissed. She said, ‘Baby, we know you’re successful. You don’t have to throw it at people’s faces.”

Shaquille O’Neal has built the kind of empire 99.9% of humans can only dream of. He has made his money work for him and become part of the elite. But he made mistakes along the way, but he learned a lot from all of them. 

 We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.

Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

TAGGED:Los Angeles Lakers ArchiveShaquille O'Neal
Share This Article
Facebook Email Copy Link Print
ByDivij Kulkarni
Follow:
Divij Kulkarni is an NBA columnist for Fadeaway World. He has covered the NBA and the English Premier League, with 4 years of experience in creating sports content. Finding exciting and intriguing content about all things NBA is both his job and his passion. Divij loves the Dallas Mavericks and can be regularly observed getting emotional during games. Outside of basketball, he enjoys reading fantasy and sci-fi novels, consuming copious amounts of movies and TV, and spending time with his dog, Olivia. Expertise: NBA, Historical Sports ResearchFavorite Team: Dallas MavericksFeatured On HoopsHype, Sports Illustrated, Secret Base, MSNPrevious Work: Tribuna
Previous Article NBA Finals Result When A Team Leads 3-1: 18 Won In Game 5, 15 Won In Game 6, 2 Won In Game 7, Only 1 Lost In Game 7
Next Article Luka Doncic Calls Djokovic The GOAT Of Tennis
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Newsletter
Facebook X-twitter Instagram

You Might Also Like

Los Angeles Lakers News & Analysis

JJ Redick Reveals 4 Lakers Players Will Miss Game Against Suns; 2 Players Will Be On Minute Restrictions

October 3, 2025
NBA News & Analysis

Caitlin Clark Breaks Silence After Napheesa Collier’s Eye-Opening Statements On WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert

October 3, 2025
Houston Rockets News & Analysis

Kevin Durant Discredits ESPN’s Top 100 NBA Players List; Says It Gave Rockets Teammate A Chip On His Shoulder

October 3, 2025
Anthony Davis
Dallas Mavericks News & Analysis

Kendrick Perkins Rips Anthony Davis For Showing Up Out Of Shape

October 3, 2025

NBA - Fadeaway World

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • New York Knicks
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards

Pages

  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA Media
  • Exclusive NBA Interviews
  • NBA 2K News & Updates

© 2025 Fadeaway World @ All Rights Reserved

  • About Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World Authors
  • Editorial Team
  • Ethics Policy
  • Corrections Policy
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Fact-Checking Policy
  • Contact Us
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?