"Nothing, thanks; I don’t drink coffee" - How Shaquille O'Neal botched a deal with $117 billion company's CEO

Shaquille O'Neal has an estimated net worth of $400 million. It could have been much bigger had he not fumbled the opportunity to invest in Starbucks when he was younger.

O'Neal shared in his 2011 autobiography Shaq Uncut, the story of how he almost become a franchisee for Starbucks. The coffee company was trying to expand and were looking at the then-LA Lakers superstar to start the project.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz invited O'Neal and his financial advisor Lester Knispel to his house in Seattle. However, "Diesel" botched the deal, as he's not a coffee drinker.

"We had a deal," O'Neal wrote on page 221. "They called me down, and Howard had a whole table set up with different coffees and espressos. He was smiling, and Lester was smiling, so I knew things were going well. He started serving everyone, and he said, 'Shaquille, what can I get you?'

"I answered, 'Nothing, thanks. I don't drink coffee.' Lester looked like I'd punched him in the gut. Howard looked kind of flustered, so I explained, 'I'm sorry, I just don't like the taste of it.'"

O'Neal could regret his decision to turn down Starbucks. The coffee company is listed on NASDAQ with a market cap of $117.08 billion. O'Neal even called it the worst business mistake he has ever made.

Nevertheless, O'Neal was true to his word when making business deals. He doesn't endorse or invest in something he doesn't use or believe in. At the time, he was not a fan of coffee and had a different perception of coffee drinkers in the African American communities.

"It will probably go down as one of my worst business decisions ever, but what can I tell you?" O'Neal wrote. "I just don't like coffee. Can't fake that one, brother."

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Shaquille O'Neal has invested in other companies

Shaquille O'Neal at the PointsBet Built Differently Media Event

Shaquille O'Neal might have missed out on a huge money deal with Starbucks, but he has made some great investments over the years. He has several franchises of 24-Hour Fitness, Five Guys, Papa John's, Auntie Anne's and Krispy Kreme.

The LA Lakers legend also has his own fast-food restaurant chain called Big Chicken. It has several locations around the United States and recently started taking over the Texas area. It's one of the reasons why O'Neal bought a house in Dallas and relocated to focus on its expansion.

Shaquille O'Neal has also invested in companies like Google, Lyft, Ring and Vitaminwater over the years. These are the reasons why his net worth is estimated to be around $400 million.

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