NBA superstar, Shaquille O’Neal, saw a substantial increase in his net worth due to an accidental $250,000 investment in Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL).
O’Neal, affectionately known as Shaq, unintentionally invested in Google, and this investment has since multiplied, contributing significantly to his estimated $500 million net worth.
According to Business Insider’s review of the book ‘A-List Angels: How a Band of Actors, Artists, and Athletes Hacked Silicon Valley’ discloses that Shaq’s Google investment happened during the tech giant’s infancy.
The success of this investment came to his attention via a newspaper report. “The newspaper told me how much I made and I couldn’t believe it,” O’Neal shared.
As per the outlet, Shaq’s investment opportunity came about when he met a notable investor at a restaurant.
“He said, ‘Shaq, I like you, I got something for you. It was presented to me, I knew it was gonna hit,” O’Neal reminisced. “And I said, ‘Wow, I’ll try it.’ My only regret is that I wish I would have bought more,” he expressed.
While the precise timing of O’Neal’s investment remains unknown, if he had invested $250,000 and retained all his shares, they would have been valued at approximately $16.5 million on Google’s 20th IPO anniversary.
The story of Shaq’s investment highlights the potential of tech investments. His “accidental” stake in Google, one of the globe’s largest tech firms, has reaped substantial returns, showcasing the potency of strategic investment, even when unplanned.
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