"I hear 2 gentlemen talking about these Google search engines": Shaq reveals how the Big Aristotle lucked into becoming one of the early investors in The Alphabet Corporation - The SportsRush (2024)

Shaq has a very diverse investment portfolio. In discussion with WSJ, he once described how he hit upon Google as an early investor.

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Shaquille O’Neal isn’t your typical famous jock who got famous just for playing basketball. That was obviously his forte, but the 2000 NBA MVP also worked hard to stand out in the crowd.

Shaq does stand out in any and every crowd in a literal manner of speaking for now. But he’s always shown the ability to absorb new information and try to make something happen out of it.

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This is the curious part of his persona that drives him to be a serial investor and a serial endorser for various brands. It also makes him go for unconventional roles like DJing at really loud-a** arenas during the summers.

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Shaq reveals how the opportunity for him to invest in Google early came about

Shaq was revealed to be one of the earliest investors in Google back in 1999. The then-Lakers big man participated in a series A round worth $100 million for the company.

Shaq revealed how this particular investment opportunity crossed his desk in an interview with the Wall Street Journal back in October 2019. According to him, it was just a freaky coincidence and him being at the right place at the right time:

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“So one day I’m sitting, playing at the Beverley Hills Hotel and I hear these 2 gentlemen talking about Google search engines and one day your phone’s gonna be this. You type in anything and it comes up. And I was like ‘Uh! Say that again?'”

“I said I would like to invest in this. My guy hooked it up, we invested and then I forgot all about it. And then I read an article, and everybody else read an article about a big hit that some of the early, early investors received.”

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Shaq has also said that his only investment regret in life was not making a bigger bet on Google. Judging by how the software giants have risen and exploded in the past 2 decades, that is certainly a legitimate one to have.

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"I hear 2 gentlemen talking about these Google search engines": Shaq reveals how the Big Aristotle lucked into becoming one of the early investors in The Alphabet Corporation - The SportsRush (2024)

FAQs

Did Shaq actually invest in Google? ›

Shaquille O'Neal and his business empire

On the positive side, Shaq invested in Google's Series A in 1999. He placed a $100 million valuation on the table with a gut feeling that it would give him a huge profit. Fast forward to 2022, the company's estimated value is about $1.89 trillion.

How much stake does Shaq have in Google? ›

In 2014, Shaq revealed that he had invested $1 million each into both Google and Apple back in 2004. He also invested on Lyft, Vitaminwater, Sacramento Kings, Ring, Pepsi, and eSports.

Who is nicknamed the Big Aristotle? ›

The Big Aristotle is a nickname he gave himself as a reference to the consistent greatness that won him the 2000 MVP award. Another "big" nickname is The Big Felon after a game-winning steal Shaq made against the Orlando Magic.

What stocks is Shaq invested in? ›

  • Shaquille O'Neal built his net worth by investing wisely.
  • Some franchises Shaq invests in are Papa John's, Krispy Kreme, and Big Chicken.
  • Shaq's investments include franchises, startups, real estate, and stocks.
  • Shaq has stakes in tech startups like Google, Ring, and NRG Esports.

What stocks has Shaq invested in? ›

One of O'Neal's most well-known investments might be Papa John International Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA), a company that he owns stock in, as well as owns franchised restaurants and serves on the board of directors.

How many Papa John's does Shaq own? ›

O'Neal owns nine Papa John's pizza franchise locations, which equals holdings worth in the neighborhood of $7 million. In addition to franchising with the concept, O'Neal also acts as a celebrity endorser and a board member — he just recently resigned an endorsem*nt deal worth $5.63 million.

Does Shaq own Lyft? ›

In 2013, O'Neal invested in Lyft a year after it was founded. Lyft later went public in 2019 at a valuation of $22 billion. Just two years after Ring got kicked off “Shark Tank” without a deal, O'Neal saw the potential and not only invested but also became a brand ambassador.

Who is richer Shaq or LeBron? ›

Who has earned the most money from their NBA career? LeBron James has made the most money from their NBA career, racking up $528,992,480 over the span of his 20-year career. Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kevin Durant help to round out some of the other top spots.

What is hack a Shaq call? ›

Hack-a-Shaq is a basketball defensive strategy used in the National Basketball Association (NBA) that involves committing intentional fouls (originally a clock management strategy) for the purpose of lowering opponents' scoring.

How can I contact Shaquille O Neal? ›

Text me 818-583-8345.

What is Shaq known for? ›

Shaq's individual accolades include the 1999–2000 MVP award, the 1992–93 NBA Rookie of the Year award, 15 All-Star game selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards, three Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles, 14 All-NBA team selections, and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections.

What company is owned by Shaq? ›

He also owns 24-Hour fitness gyms, car washes, movie theatres, nightclubs, and shopping malls. He is invested in brands such as the Authentic Brands Group, including Barneys New York, Forever 21, Reebok, and JCPenney, all contributing to his net worth.

Does Shaq owns JCPenney? ›

JCPenney and Forever 21 are included in Shaq's list of business interests. JCPenney and Forever 21 are under the Authentic Brands Group together with other retail brands such as Reebok (which Shaq was a former endorser), and Barneys New York. Since 2015, Shaq has owned interests in the Authentic Brands Group.

What stocks are Jeff Bezos investing in? ›

Jeff Bezos' current positions
CompanyFunding date
Business Insider2013 (Venture)
Cloud Paper2022 (Venture)
Everfi2012 (Series B), 2016 (Series C), 2017 (Series D)
La Haus2021 (Series B)
11 more rows
Mar 29, 2023

How does Shaq own Elvis Presley? ›

The reason he said this is because he is currently the 2nd largest individual shareholder in a company called Authentic Brands Group. This company deals with the acquisition of brands and retailers. In their portfolio is the likes of Forever 21, JC Penny, and like Shaq said, Elvis Presley.

What investment did Shaq turn down? ›

Shaquille O'Neal once turned down what later became a lucrative deal for someone else. Starbucks franchisee opportunity: During an episode of Drink Champs, O'Neal explained Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz once offered him a chance to become a franchisee of a location that would open in the hood.

How does Shaq make money? ›

Through his business strategy and skills, he is making millions of dollars every year. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Shaq has an estimated net worth of 400 million dollars. Being a former basketball player, entrepreneur, TV host, and product endorser has also significantly helped him to build his empire.

How much did Shaq o neal invest in Google? ›

Shaq was revealed to be one of the earliest investors in Google back in 1999. The then-Lakers big man participated in a series A round worth $100 million for the company.

Who invested money in Google? ›

The top individual insider shareholders of Google are Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and Sundar Pichai, and the top institutional shareholders are Vanguard Group Inc., BlackRock Inc. (BLK), T. Rowe Price Associates Inc., and FMR LLC.

Who invested on Google? ›

On June 7, 1999, a round of equity funding totalling $25 million was announced, the major investors being rival venture capital firms Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital.

Who owns the most Google stock? ›

Google Stock Ownership FAQ

Who owns Google? Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) is owned by 62.46% institutional shareholders, 3.42% Google insiders, and 34.11% retail investors. Brin Sergey is the largest individual Google shareholder, owning 367.31M shares representing 2.89% of the company.

Whose royalties does Shaq own? ›

One of the greatest basketball players of all time has said that he owns the rights to royalties from famous figures such as Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. This investment resulted from Shaq's astute business sense, as he spent around $135 million to purchase these rights.

Is Shaq a billionaire worth? ›

Shaquille O'Neal's net worth sits around $400 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Shaq began to build up his massive net worth during his playing days in the NBA, where he cashed out over the course of his illustrious career.

How much would a $1,000 investment in Google be worth today? ›

Google underwent stocks splits of 2-for-1 in 2014 and 20-for-1 in 2022. The 11.76 shares would now be a total of 470.4 shares after the stock splits. The $1,000 investment would be worth $1,164,133.88 today based on a current share price of $105.22 at the time of writing.

Is Google still a good stock to buy? ›

According to the issued ratings of 18 analysts in the last year, the consensus rating for Alphabet stock is 'Moderate Buy' based on the current 1 hold rating and 17 buy ratings for GOOG.

What are the best stocks to invest in now? ›

10 Best Stocks to Buy Now—May 2023
  • U.S. Bancorp USB.
  • Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing TSM.
  • GSK PLC GSK.
  • Wells Fargo WFC.
  • Roche Holding RHHBY.
  • Comcast CMCSA.
  • International Flavors & Fragrances IFF.
  • Anheuser-Busch InBev BUD.
May 1, 2023

Is Jeff Bezos a Google investor? ›

Investments Over the Years

Unsurprisingly, Bezos was an angel investor in Google in 1998. His $250,000 is worth roughly $3.1 billion today. During its series B seed funding round, he also invested approximately $37 million in ride-sharing startup Uber in 2011.

Does Mark Zuckerberg own Google? ›

Google is primarily owned by its founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who have more than 51% voting power. Other individual shareholders comprise John Doerr (1.5%), a venture capitalist and early investor in Google, and CEO, Sundar Pichai. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has 4.2% voting power.

What is the most expensive stock in the world? ›

Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate headed by legendary investor Warren Buffett, has the most expensive stock in the world, with shares trading at over $400,000 each. Berkshire Hathaway's market capitalisation is over $640 billion, making it one of the giant companies in the world.

Who owns the most shares in McDonald's? ›

Conclusion. McDonald's is a publicly-traded company, with a considerable percentage of its shareholders being institutional. The top 5 institutions with the most significant stake in McDonald's include The Vanguard Group Inc, SSgA Funds Management Inc, BlackRock Fund Advisors, Wellington Management Co.

Does Bill Gates have shares in Google? ›

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust exits its holdings in Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), shedding 62K of class A shares and 62K of class C shares in the first quarter of 2022, according to its latest 13F filing.

Who runs Google now? ›

Pichai Sundararajan (born June 10, 1972), better known as Sundar Pichai (/ˈsʊndɑːr pɪˈtʃaɪ/), is an Indian-American business executive.

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