Ranking Shaq's sidequests

Kelsey Phillips '25

Editor-In-Chief of Design

Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal is most widely known as an NBA Hall of Famer, the winner of countless awards including an Olympic gold medal and the guy from “The General” commercials. Although these are his most notable achievements, since retiring in 2011, Shaq has moved on to bigger, better and more obscure activities. Here are my least favorite to favorite “side quests” he has taken on over the years.

1. Celebrity likenesses: What do Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali all have in common? They are all owned by Shaq! As the second-largest shareholder in Authentic Brands Group, Shaq has ownership of these likenesses, along with brands like Juicy Couture, Aéropostale and Sports Illustrated.

2. Big Chicken: In 2018, Shaq founded his own fast-food chain, Big Chicken which is known for its large portions and bold flavors. Although there are none in the San Fernando Valley, there is a location in Santa Clarita.

3. Shaqtoberfest: Shaq has done a little bit of everything, and that grind does not stop but rather increases during the fall. In 2022, Shaq launched Shaqtoberfest,a Halloween attraction in Long Beach featuring speciality mazes and attractions. Unfortunately, it has fallen down on the list due to it not happening this year.

4. Franchises: Shaq is always willing to support something that he loves, so it’s no wonder that he has his own franchises of multiple companies we all frequent. Most of the time, if you see Shaq in an ad for something, he is either an owner or shareholder in the company. Shaq owns one Krispy Kremes, nine Papa John’s, 40 24-Hour Fitnesses and 150 car washes.

5. Dr. O’Neal: In 2012, Shaq earned his doctorate in education from Barry University in Florida, home to the team he was originally drafted to the Orlando Magic. Although this took place after his retirement, Shaq had been working on this degree for four and a half years prior while still playing in the league. Shaq is proof that it is never too late to stop learning.

6. Shaq’s Garage: Shaq has 6 kids and a love of cars so he decided to put those two together into the cartoon “Shaq’s Garage.” The show follows the “Shaq-paq”, a group of cars and trucks lead by Biggie D, who is Shaq’s character. Another notable member of the Shaq-paq is Grenoble, who is voiced by superbowl champion Gronk (a.k.a. Rob Gronkowski).

Natalie Chorbajian ‘26 tasting SHAQ-A-LICIOUS gummies

7. Shaq-a-licious: Just by looking at Shaq’s investment profile, you can tell that the man has a sweet tooth, but he recently solidified this by starting his own gummy line, SHAQ-A-LICIOUS XL gummies. Even though this is one of his more recent time investments, they made it pretty high on the list due to taste being a 10/10. The gummies can be found in Target and have recently dropped in price from $3.99 to $2.99 so I highly recommend taking time to go try them.

8. DJ Diesel: In 1993, Shaq released the album “Shaq Diesel” which debuted at 25 on the Billboard 100 list. Fast In 2015, Shaq rebranded his career as DJ Diesel and went on tour, securing a residency in Las Vegas. Since retiring from the NBA, Shaq learned that anything can be your job if you put your mind to it.

Will Shaq be remembered in the NBA as one of the highest scoring players and an all-time great? Absolutely. Shaq has also solidified his stake as a businessman and someone who can do anything he is passionate about. Shaq is proof that it is never late to find what you love and be dedicated to it.