Millionaire Shaquille O’Neal Chose to Invest in Google But Rejected Starbucks for Mind-Blowing Reason

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the best centers to have ever played in the NBA. During his prime, he was a dominant force and someone who was feared by many players. But he is not just about his brute force. He is also one of the smartest guys with a sharp business mind. 

Shaq is a successful athlete when it comes to investments and brand association. He didn’t sit around and spend all his NBA earnings for nothing. Instead, The Big Shamrock learned about investing and used his hard-earned money with a calculated risk.

With this, O’Neal has built his business empire from the ground up and is now an inspiration to the youngsters. 

Shaquille O’Neal was one of the original investors in Google and VitaminWater but passed on Starbucks because he didn’t drink coffee

— UberFacts (@UberFacts) May 9, 2022

It is no secret that Shaq invested in Google but now there is news breaking up stating his reason for not investing in Starbucks. And it has nothing to do with the market or stock predictions. The Lakers legend simply didn’t invest in Starbucks because he doesn’t drink coffee. Yeah, you read that correctly. 

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When Shaq’s agent called him about investing in Starbucks, Shaq hilariously rejected because when he was growing up he hasn’t seen people in his community drink coffee. 

Shaquille O’Neal and his business empire

But O’Neal admitted it was one of his worst business decisions. And he also said that now he sees a Starbucks shop on every corner in every city of the country and he regrets it.

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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.

Shaquille O’Neal speaks during Pepsi Stronger Together and CTG Foundation Atlanta Law Enforcement on in McDonough, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Pepsi Stronger Together)

In an earlier interview, Shaq revealed he follows Jeff Bezos’ investment strategy. He said that following Bezos’ strategy; he started investing in companies based on how it changes people’s lives. And he said that it helped him to quadruple his worth.

The Big Diesel also loves franchising a lot. It was reported that he owned around 40 fitness centers and 150 car washes. Shaq has also owned hundreds of restaurants. He is a brand ambassador for Papa John’s and owns 9 units. Shaq is also the owner of 17 Auntie Anne’s Pretzels restaurants. 

There is a glaring statistic that states a staggering 60% of former NBA players go broke within five years of retirement. But Shaquille O’Neal clearly doesn’t fall under the category, thanks to his mentality towards investment and business.

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