Shaquille O’Neal’s most bizarre endorsements and how much he makes off them
Shaquille O’Neal has made a name for himself both on and off the court.
Having played for six NBA teams over the course of his 19-year career, O’Neal is considered one of the best basketball players of all time.
Since his retirement in 2011, O’Neal has made a name -- and fortune -- for himself through acting, rapping and brand endorsements.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, O’Neal is worth about $400 million, with a salary of $60 million every year for all his endorsements and other business ventures.
The former basketball player made headlines recently when Papa John’s disclosed in an SEC filing on Monday it would pay his company, ABG-Shaq, a total of $4.125 million over three years in an endorsement deal for the pizza chain.
Papa John's disclosed in an SEC filing on Monday it would pay Shaquille O’Neal's company, ABG-Shaq, a total of $4.125 million over three years in an endorsement deal for the pizza chain. (Darren Hauck/AP Images for Papa John's)
But Papa John’s certainly isn’t the first of O’Neal’s endorsements. According to Sports Illustrated, he’s backed more than 50 products. Some of the more well-known endorsements include Icy Hot, Radio Shack and Comcast, but there are plenty of others that are more obscure.
Here are five of the most bizarre brands and products the athlete has backed.
“Soda Shaq”
In 2013, O’Neal announced he would be working with Arizona Beverages on a soda called Soda Shaq Cream Soda, which came in four flavors: vanilla, blueberry, strawberry and orange, according to a press release at the time.
“Shaq Fu”
O’Neal was the star of his own video game called “Shaq Fu” in 1994. According to USA Today, the game saw the 7-foot, 1-inch basketball player’s avatar fighting evil mummies and playing in a charity basketball game in Japan.
A sequel to the game was released in 2018 called “Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn,” which saw some criticism.
Shaq-A-Claus
O’Neal endorsed Toys R Us for several years as part of the chain’s holiday annual fundraising campaigns for the Toys for Tots Foundation, according to a news release in 2013.
For the campaign, the athlete used the name “Shaq-A-Claus.”
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Though Toys R Us closed all its U.S. stores in 2018, it was reported on Friday that a few stores could be opening later this year.
Mr. Big candy bar
When Cadbury launched its Mr. Big candy bar in 1995, O’Neal endorsed the sweet, according to USA Today. The outlet reported the bar is about 8 inches long and is mostly available in Canada, though can be found in some places in the U.S.
“Shaq-A-Roni ‘n Meatballs” and “Shaq ‘n Cheese”
According to Time, O’Neal worked with The Original Soup Man in 2012 as part of an initiative to promote healthy school lunches. The two kinds he specifically helped endorse, “Shaq-A-Roni ‘n Meatballs” and “Shaq ‘n Cheese” were reportedly low in sodium and low in fat.