Shaq Has Valuable Lesson For Kids: ‘We Ain’t Rich, I’m Rich’

Shaquille O’Neal believes teaching his six children that working hard for what they have and teaching them the value of a dollar is important, he recently revealed.

The Basketball Hall of Famer said during an appearance on the “Earn Your Leisure” podcast that his kids don’t get a free pass just because he's rich.

"They're kind of upset with me, not really upset but they don't understand," O’Neal said recently in an interview with The New York Post. "I tell them all the time, ‘We ain’t rich. I'm rich.’"

FOX Business reports O'Neal made millions more when his playing career was over with his own sneaker line, investments in Papa John’s and as a spokesman for The General Automobile Insurance among other endeavors. He’s also a basketball analyst for TNT’s NBA shows.

He also made millions during his NBA career playing with six different teams, where he won four championships and and the the 2000 MVP award.

O’Neal’s net worth is reported to be somewhere around $400 million, FOX reports. But the Hall of Famer said he’s not giving his children any opportunity to use him to advance themselves. 

“You gotta have bachelor’s or master’s and then if you want me to invest in one of your companies, you’re going to have to present it, boom boom boom, bring it to me,” he said. “I’ll let you know, I’m not giving you nothing.”


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Megan graduated from the University of Central Florida and writes and tweets about anything related to sports. She replies to comments she shouldn't reply to online and thinks the CFP Rankings are absolutely rigged. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.