Shaquille O’Neal Says He Plans To Become A College Professor In A Few Years To Teach Courses About Business Administration And Mentorship
Shaquille O’Neal wants to sport a new hat in the coming years.
O’Neal has established his footprint in various ways outside of his time in the NBA, which concluded in 2011 after 19 seasons. He walked away with four championship rings and career earnings totaling $286.3 million, notes Spotrac. He has since gone on to establish himself as a businessman and sports commentator, serving as a host of “Inside the NBA,” where he reportedly signed a contract extension with TNT that will earn him a $15 million annual pay day.
As AFROTECH™ previously told you, O’Neal’s ventures over the years include his fast-casual restaurant franchise, Big Chicken, which operates in various states and even has a rewards deal with Carnival Cruise. He’s also the second-largest shareholder of Authentic Brands Group, a company that benefits from his name and likeness through merchandise and endorsements, in addition to those of other prominent figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, and Michael Jackson.
When it comes to investments, he owns a stake in Campus, an online community college startup founded by Tade Oyerinde. The company raised a $29 million Series A investment in 2023 and a $46 million Series B in March 2025. O’Neal’s acumen has also benefited Reebok, where he serves as president of basketball and is tasked with guiding the brand’s long-term strategy. There he helped secure WNBA star Angel Reese for the brand’s first NIL deal.
“This is not a consulting role,” Reebok CEO Todd Krinsky said, according to Footwear News. “This is not a figurehead announcement where we create a cool title and then he goes away and calls me once in a while. He’s committed to how we reenter the basketball community, everything from product to marketing to events. He’s got a sharp point of view on things, but he’s also very collaborative and he’s open minded on how we can reenter.”
Interest In Becoming A Professor
Looking ahead, O’Neal wants to package his years of experience into a course for students. He shared the news during a taping of “Inside the NBA,” swapping out his traditional suit for an Alabama State Hornets sweater and set a two-year goal.
“From now I would like to be addressed as Professor O’Neal because when I graduate in two years, I will leave you and become a college professor on mentorship and business administration,” O’Neal said during the segment.
