NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal reportedly made a $250,000 “accidental” investment in tech giant Google, which has now grown exponentially, contributing significantly to his current net worth.

What Happened: O’Neal, better known as Shaq, invested $250,000 in Google, which he later described as an “accident.” This investment has played a substantial role in boosting his estimated net worth of $500 million.

While his NBA career earnings form a part of his wealth, his post-career investments account for a significant portion.

According to a report by Insider, in the book A-List Angels: How a Band of Actors, Artists, and Athletes Hacked Silicon Valley, author Zack O’Malley Greenburg recounted his conversations with Shaquille O’Neal about his investment strategy, including his early decision to invest in Google.

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Shaq made the investment in Google during the company’s early days and only realized the success of his investment upon reading about it in a newspaper. “The newspaper told me how much I made and I couldn’t believe it,” O’Neal said.

Greenburg recounts that Shaq was playing with some children at a restaurant when he happened to meet their father, who was a prominent investor.

“He said, ‘Shaq, I like you, I got something for you. It was presented to me, I knew it was gonna hit,” O’Neal said.

“And I said, ‘Wow, I’ll try it.’ My only regret is that I wish I would have bought more,” he added

Although the exact timing of O’Neal’s investment is not known, if he had invested $250,000 and held onto all his shares, they would have been worth approximately $16.5 million on the date of Google’s 20th anniversary of its initial public offering.

Why It Matters: Shaq’s investment story serves as a testament to the potential of tech investments. His “accidental” investment in Google, one of the world’s largest tech companies, has yielded significant returns, demonstrating the power of strategic investment, even if unintentional.

This incident also underscores the importance of diversification, as O’Neal’s wealth is not solely reliant on his NBA career earnings but is significantly bolstered by his savvy post-career investments.

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