Shaq on Inside the NBA, NIL deals, player to watch this season

Shaquille O’Neal is a cultural figure whose initiatives, philanthropy and innovation exceed his feats on the field. During his 19 seasons in the NBA, O’Neal showcased his talent with six teams: Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and ended his career with the Boston Celtics in 2011.

During the conversation about his new rubber tires Shak-A-Licious SLAM, exclusively told ClutchPoints some highlights about the partnership with Hershey, inside the NBA moving to ESPN, how NIL contracts affect athletes, his thoughts on this NBA season and more.

Thoughts on moving within the NBA to ESPN

Shaq made his Inside the NBA debut during the 2011-2012 NBA season after retiring from the league after 19 seasons. He hosts the program with Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. The show has been on TNT for nearly four decades, and for the 2025-26 NBA season. switched to ESPN the first time. Shaq said the move isn’t much different than before and is “pretty much the same.” The difference he shared is that “we don’t work as early,” but he guarantees that fans will hear from them soon.

“But you know, come playoff time, you’re definitely going to hear from the big dogs. Right now it’s five or six other entities, and a lot of people have something to stay,” he said. “But when the playoffs come and you watch a playoff game, then you’re definitely going to hear from the experts.”

Shaq’s touching NBA memory

Growing up in Newark, New Jersey, Shaq knew that pursuing his dreams of playing basketball professionally would not only fulfill his goals but also create opportunities for his family. It was bigger than being part of six NBA teams during his career, four NBA champions, playing legendary games alongside Kobe Bryant, using his superstardom to build several businesses, but how can he provide for his family. When asked what one of his favorite NBA memories was, it wasn’t something that could be found on the court, but how he was able to give his mom what she deserved.

“My favorite memory was being able to get my mother out of Newark and buy her the house she wanted, the purse she wanted, the car she wanted,” Shaq told ClutchPoints. “For me, that was everything. I have a lot of good memories, but you know where we come from. And I’m not saying it’s a bad place, but, you know, to be able to live like them, the ones that float in our faces.

“I always wanted my hard work and beautiful mother to be able to enjoy that luxury. So that’s my favorite moment. And the fact that I’ve been playing for 15 years can still make me feel good,” he continued.

Shak on NIL contracts for college athletes

NIL (name, image, etc.) deals didn’t exist when Shaq was in college at Louisiana State University (LSU), but they’ve taken over the college landscape in terms of giving athletes their own platforms and delving into multiple ways to gain financial freedom before moving to the pro leagues. Shak gave his the prospect of NIL jobs and how he would manage his if given the chance.

“I kind of never paid attention to the NIL deal, but if it was me, I would have done it differently,” Shaq said, noting that he “knows a guy who’s making $10 million now” from NIL deals.

The NBA legend then laid out a comprehensive plan on how he would allocate the money, as well as the investments and savings he would make if given the same opportunity.

“I would give my parents a million each. So eight million dollars was left over. I would take a million for myself and floss my teeth, and then put the rest away and act like I have nothing, which keeps me hungry,” he explained.

His next point about NIL contracts is something many athletes and fans have discussed today in terms of what keeps prospects interested in the next step.

“My only fear with NIL is that you lose your hunger. Because, yeah, we play the game because we love it. But we also know that little thing. Ding ding ding. It’s at the top. So if you get that too early, you cut that edge off,” Shaq explained. “I don’t want 10 million, I want 700 million.”

As Shak added to his previous point, he would give his parents something he would give himself, such as a Mercedes-Benz, a Range Rover, or a “small chain.” He stressed that he would just leave the rest of his money and “learn financial literacy”.

Ultimately, Shak said he “wishes these kids the best of luck” in terms of navigating the NIL deal. However, he added that “they have to focus on themselves and focus on winning, because the more you win, the more business you get.”

Shaq reveals who caught his eye this NBA season

The NBA season is already underway, and as fans get a first taste of who will make the most noise on the court. For Shaq, he didn’t hesitate to say who has caught his attention so far, stating San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.

“So the Spurs beat the champs twice. So I’m going to look for that matchup,” Shaq said before adding which Spurs star made the most moves. “I hope they play each other in the playoffs. I’m super impressed with Wemby (Victor Vembanyama). You know, a lot of big guys have done what he’s done sporadically. I’ve mentioned the court a few times, and you know, but he shoots threes and goes behind him and between his legs. And that’s definitely how I beat him.

He then said that there are teams in the East that he wants to see have a good season this year. “In the East, I want to see Cleveland or the Knicks run away from the East. So we’ll see.”

Shak about navigating multiple jobs and interests

Nine times out of 10, when you turn on the TV, you’ll see Shaq in a commercial. Whether it’s Carvana (aka “Shakvana”), General Insurance, Papa John’s, DraftKings, Home Depot and more, there’s a method behind Shak’s busy schedule. He shared that because he can delegate his tasks to others, he can accomplish so much.

“Everything I do is about sports. You have to have teammates,” Shaq explained, adding that you have to break it down so it’s understandable.

“So you’ve got a guy who has 50 things to do. I don’t remember all 50 things,” he said, adding a slice of his daily routine, including interviews and commercials.

After explaining his busy schedule, he said he had to learn that when he was younger, he tried to do everything by himself, and “I kind ofost focuses on the main thing.”

His advice was that you just have to “focus on the main thing, which is you, and then just let other people do it. I have a secretary, I have a guy who is with me and makes sure I’m doing everything, and I have a person with me to make sure I don’t say anything stupid. That’s what I call the barrel. I have a whole team.”