Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnJeannine ManciniSat, June 27, 2026 at 2:31 PM GMT+2 7 min readBenzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal may have a net worth estimated at roughly $500 million, but that doesn't mean his kids get treated like they're worth the same.Speaking during an appearance on "Live with Kelly and Mark" in 2018, O'Neal was asked whether children who grow up wealthy are less inclined to work."There's a motto in my house," O'Neal said. "You have to have two degrees to touch some of my cheese."The audience laughed, but O'Neal said he wants his children to have opportunities he didn't have growing up while still earning their own success.Don't Miss:Flying Cars Once Sounded Like Science Fiction. This Company Has 600+ Preorders And Is Targeting Deliveries By 2028.The Difference Between a Fragmented Plan and an Integrated One Often Comes Down to Structure — See How PCM Encore Brings Investment, Tax, and Estate Planning Into Alignment."I have three sons and three daughters, and I want to make it easy for them," O'Neal said. "I want them to be better than me. I want them to be more educated than me, so they must work.""My oldest son, brilliant," O'Neal said. "I'm proud of you. Go to a dealership, get a car and call me.""So I drive over there," O'Neal said. "The guy brings out the paperwork. Okay son, let me talk to you a second. I'm rich. We're not rich. So here's a Chevrolet."The story drew laughs because of the punchline. The reason it has endured is because it neatly sums up how O'Neal thinks about money.O'Neal has never hidden the fact that he wants his children to succeed. What he doesn't want is for them to assume his success automatically becomes theirs.That mindset has shaped how he approaches both parenting and money.While plenty of athletes have earned massive fortunes, O'Neal turned his basketball success into a business empire spanning investments, endorsements, franchises and entrepreneurial ventures. The goal wasn't simply to make money. It was to make sure the money kept working.Trending: Your income is your family's foundation. Ladder lets eligible applicants lock in term life coverage in minutes — and you can adjust as your income grows.That philosophy showed up again when O'Neal discussed personal finance with CNBC in 2018.Using a $100 bill as an example, O'Neal said 75% should be saved or invested, while 25% could be used for spending and enjoyment."This right here is what you have fun with," O'Neal said.Terms and Privacy PolicyEU DSA contactPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info