NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal is eyeing a slice of the Premier League pie as there are reportedly talks underway for him to snap up a stake in West Ham United.
The towering basketball legend, 52, has reportedly been bitten by the Hammers bug after watching a game at the London Stadium last season and now he could be ready to splash some dough for a piece of the East End outfit. According to The Sun, Shaq, who’s become quite the footy fan in recent years, is prepared to lay down “serious cash” to get in on the action at West Ham.
Despite finishing ninth last season and failing to replicate their 2023 European success after losing to Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League quarters, West Ham’s rocky patch in the second half of last season – which saw David Moyes ultimately replaced by Julen Lopetegui in the dugout – seemingly hasn’t deterred O’Neal.
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With a hefty net worth estimated at $500million (£396m), the former LA Lakers star is keen to join the club’s ranks as a shareholder, and if negotiations go smoothly, Shaq could be signing on the dotted line before the 2024/25 season kicks off.
Since hanging up his high-tops in 2011, O’Neal has dived headfirst into the business world, throwing cash at ventures like Papa John’s, Krispy Kreme, Five Guys Burgers, and Auntie Annie’s Pretzels. Not just a savvy investor, Shaq’s also a marketing juggernaut, bagging about $60m (£47m) annually from endorsements with big names like Reebok, Pepsi, Taco Bell, and Burger King, according to Football London.
How many goals would Shaq score if he spent next season playing up top for West Ham? Let us know in the comments section below.
West Ham are currently under the ownership of four major investors. David Sullivan holds a 38.8% stake in the club, while Vanessa Gold, the daughter of David Gold who passed away in January 2023, owns 25.1%. Additionally, Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky has a 27% share in the Hammers, and American investment whizz Albert ‘Tripp’ Smith owns 10%.
If O’Neal manages to secure a deal with the top brass, he’ll be the latest US celeb to pump big bucks into a British footy club. This follows actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who own League One side Wrexham, NFL superstar Tom Brady, who bought a stake in League One team Birmingham City last year, and Hollywood funny-man Will Ferrell, who owns a piece of Championship squad Leeds United.
The 7ft 1in legend played for six teams during his 19-year career and is a four-time NBA champ. He kicked off his career at Orlando Magic, where he bagged Rookie of the Year in 1993 after proving himself as one of the top centres in the game.
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He transferred to the LA Lakers in 1996 and went on to bag three consecutive championships alongside team-mate Kobe Bryant, as well as the NBA MVP award in 2000. However, a persistent spat with Bryant led the Lakers to trade O’Neal to Miami Heat in 2004.
There, he clinched another NBA Championship, before joining the Phoenix Suns in 2008. He later played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics before calling it a day in 2011.