Shaq shares money lessons, surprises Georgia State students with scholarships
Shaquille O’Neal made millions during his NBA career, but he admitted Friday that there was a time when he didn’t understand something as basic as a credit score — a lesson he learned while trying to buy his mother a house.
The four-time NBA champion told Georgia State University students that learning how to manage money was as important to his success off the basketball court as anything he accomplished on it.
“I didn’t want to be part of the statistics of NBA athletes who have nothing when they die,” O’Neal said. “So once I started focusing on how much I could keep, it turned me into a better businessman.”
O’Neal brought that message to Georgia State as part of Credit One Bank’s Credit Tip Off Tour, joining former NFL star Rob Gronkowski and financial industry executives for a conversation about credit, budgeting and building financial stability.
Since retiring from the NBA in 2011 after 19 seasons, O’Neal has built a business portfolio that includes Papa John’s, Krispy Kreme and 24 Hour Fitness. He credited his parents with instilling the discipline that later shaped his approach to managing money.
The McDonough, Georgia resident repeatedly urged students to pay their bills on time and set up automatic payments to avoid falling behind. He said he joined the tour to share lessons with young people, particularly student-athletes hoping to pursue professional sports careers.
“As I look at Georgia State’s basketball team, that was me in 1991. Nobody came to do things like this. I want to hand out free information, and I want them to be successful and live the life they want to live,” he said.
Gronkowski, a four-time Super Bowl champion who retired from the NFL in 2022, has pursued business ventures that include cofounding his family’s fitness equipment company, Gronk Fitness, and the salad restaurant chain Greenlane. His endorsement deals include partnerships with apparel brand BYLT and energy drink company Monster Energy.
Gronkowski said he avoided spending his NFL salary early in his career, instead relying on endorsement earnings to cover everyday expenses.
“Live within your means because when people get that first check, they want to go out, spend it, show off and do whatever they want,” Gronkowski said. “You want to build your wealth, keep savings and build up your bank account. If you keep building up, you can keep buying things.”
Georgia State University President M. Brian Blake said the athletes’ celebrity and business success helped make financial lessons more relatable to students.
“When famous people who are successful tell them the basics, it’s more powerful than parents like us telling people because they’ll listen,” Blake said.
Students participated in games and trivia for prizes, while Credit One Bank’s chief marketing officer, Michael Coleman, said the interactive format was designed to make financial education more engaging.
“Credit education is not always talked about in school, and we’re trying to make a boring topic that sometimes kids don’t want to listen to fun,” Coleman said.
O’Neal, who also performs as DJ Diesel, closed the event with a DJ set.
But several students left with more than financial advice.
Quentin Reeves, a first-year graduate student from Atlanta studying biomedical science, received $6,000 from O’Neal and Credit One Bank toward his tuition.
Reeves said he came seeking advice on repairing his credit and was stunned to leave with additional financial assistance.
“It’s unreal. I just came to listen to them talk, and now I’m going home with $6,000, so it’s honestly a dream come true,” he said.
Aiden Thomas, a freshman finance major from Memphis, received a $5,000 scholarship. Thomas said he regularly attends campus events, believing opportunities often come from simply showing up.
“I show up to a lot of stuff, and I believe if you show up, you’ll get lucky at least once,” Thomas said. “You just have to put yourself in a position to succeed.”
