Shaquille O’Neal won’t share $450m fortune with kids and they ‘don’t understand’ why

Shaquille O’Neal says he has no intention of sharing his $450 fortune with his six children.

And NBA legend, who has amassed a huge net worth, admits they “don’t understand” his decision.

Shaq, 50, earned big bucks playing for NBA teams including Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat before retiring in 2011. He has also acted, released music and has various business interests.

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But the man mountain who “came from nothing” firmly believes in working hard for your money and is determined that his kids will make their own fortunes rather than getting a free pass.

The 7ft 1ins center was the highest paid NBA star of his era, playing between 1992 to 2011 and earning a whopping $292m ($240m).

And a series of endorsement deals – from the likes of Papa Johns and Reebok – have helped lift his net worth to the estimated figure of $450m (£375m).

He says his kids, Taahirah, 26, Myles, 25, Shareef, 23, Amirah, 21, Shaqir, 19, Me’arah, 16, are apparently still processing his decision not to give them handouts.

Speaking on the Earn Your Leisure podcast, Shaq said: “My kids are older now. They’re kinda upset with me. Not really upset, but they don’t understand.

“I tell them all the time. We ain’t rich. I’m rich.”

The Hall of Famer went on to reveal the standards his kids must uphold if they want a piece of the pie.

He said: “You gotta have bachelor’s or master’s [degrees], 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.

“I’ll let you know, I’m not giving you nothing.”

The four time NBA champ came from humble beginnings, growing up poor in Newark, New Jersey.

He previously told the New York Post: “I came from nothing. But, just because I made it doesn’t mean I’m bigger than you, smarter than you – just because I have more money doesn’t mean I’m better than you.

“I’ve never been that way and I never will be that way.”

Shaq says it’s key that like him, his children “figure it out” on their own.

He added: “There’s one rule: education. I don’t care if you play basketball. I don’t care about none of that.

“Listen, I got six kids. I would like a doctor, somebody to own a hedge fund, a pharmacist, a lawyer, someone that owns multiple businesses, someone to take over my business.

“But I tell them I’m not going to hand it to you. You gotta earn.”

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