"Jeopardize my mother's empire" - Shaquille O'Neal once disclosed reason behind avoiding booze in public

Shaquille O'Neal once disclosed his reason for not drinking in public in an episode of #DrinkChamps on the Revolt podcast. In the episode, which aired last year, the four-time NBA champion sat down with hosts N.O.R.E. & DJ EFN and shared stories of Stevie Wonder, his NBA career, and Kobe Bryant, among other things. He also emphasized his reasons for not drinking in public:

"I do drink, but not in public because I can’t do nothing to jeopardize my mother’s empire... so if I’m at the house I’ll drink, but I’m not going to drink at a restaurant and jump in a car... cos my father always used to tell me, if you mess the money up, your mama ain’t going to have no house, if you mess the money up, your mama ain’t going to eat.“

O'Neal was one of the most dominant players of his generation. Since his retirement, besides being a regular on TNT's "Inside the NBA", he has also made smart business ventures. The 'Big Diesel' reportedly owns as many as 155 Five Guys Burger & Fries, nine Papa John’s, 17 Auntie Anne’s pretzels, and a few Krispy Kreme restaurants, among other ventures.

Shaquille O'Neal's business ventures

It is no secret that many athletes go broke in their post-playing careers. Stats indicate that the percentage of players going broke within five years of their retirement is 65%. 'The Diesel' has done very well to escape this dynamic.

Shaq has an estimated net worth of $400 million. Apart from food chains, he owns 40 24-hour fitness facilities. He also owns several real estate properties in Miami, Vegas, and Atlanta.

He is also a smart investor, having made investments in many successful startups. One of his earliest investments included Google and Apple Inc. Shaq also invested in Lyft just a year after it was founded. Later, when the company went public, it was valued at $22 billion. Another successful investment of his is 'Ring'. The company, which was unable to get a single deal at the 'Shark Tank', was acquired by Amazon and valued at $1 billion.

The Lakers legend's portfolio continues to grow. The Hall of Famer has made a name for himself with a number of smart and profitable investments. He has also influenced the new generation of players by showing them how to be smart with their money.