Shaquille O'Neal once bought $11 million mansion just because he liked the bed - "It was here when I bought the house"
NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal has been known to be a big spender. A tale of Shaq's younger days when he spent $11 million on a house just because he liked the bed is a good example.
Vanity Fair's John Heilpern got a tour of Shaquille O'Neal's mansion in Orlando in 2012. While taking a tour of the massive estate, Heilpern took note of some of the interesting amenities.
While the indoor basketball court and vintage car collection were impressive, Heilpern was taken by the master bedroom. A massive circular bed with a Superman logo in particular caught his attention.
Heilpern said that it was "the biggest bed" he'd ever seen in his life. Shaq responded:
"Oh, thank you. But I can’t take credit for that bed. It was here when I bought the house. That bed right there sold me.”
O'Neal said that he bought the house primarily because of the bed. He also narrated the story behind it.
"At that time—this is 1995, my third year in the league—I was by myself, and I really didn’t need such a big house.”
O'Neal's spending has been outrageous since early on in his career. From blowing ridiculous amounts of money on luxury items early in his career, O'Neal has come a long way to becoming a responsible spender now.
Although "The Big Aristotle" remains a big spender, he has done well for himself as a businessman. With an extensive portfolio featuring some solid investments, Shaq has accumulated incredible wealth after his professional career.
As for his mansion in Orlando, O'Neal sold the house for $11 million in 2021. That was definitely a massive discount, considering he purchased it for $28 million.
Shaquille O'Neal's spending habits in his younger days
Shaquille O'Neal has always been a larger than life personality, which was best represented in the manner in which he used to spend his paycheck. Having earned an incredible amount of money in his professional career, Shaq was also equally quick to spend it when he was younger.
Some interesting tales include the time he blew almost half his paycheck on luxury cars. Unaware of California's tax laws on joining the LA Lakers, O'Neal blew a ridiculous amount of money in a single day. The result was nothing short of disappointing.
Shaquille O'Neal has also spent his money on good causes. Often seen spending big at restaurants and helping people out, "Diesel" simply hopes to bring a smile to people's faces.