The Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) system has upended college athletics. But while it sounds like a dream, it’s not all sunshine and smooth contracts in Shaq’s book. “NIL, I think, is definitely gonna hurt people,” he warned. At first glance, it’s easy to mistake that for another OG athlete bashing the new school. But nah—Shaq isn’t just throwing shade. He sees himself as a cautionary guide for rising stars.

His chief concern? Hunger. Or, more accurately, the lack of it. “For people that have nothing, when you get something, it takes the pressure off. But that something should be the final prize. The final prize should be the NBA,” he said on his podcast. What frustrates him isn’t the grind getting easier, but players losing the drive once a few zeros hit their bank account. In his eyes, the hustle should lead to the league, not stop at a flashy NIL check. He knows the value of the chase, and he hates seeing that hunger fade too soon.

Even so, let’s not get it twisted—if NIL had existed back when Shaq was dominating the college hardwood, he wouldn’t have turned it down. “I’d be a trillionaire now,” he recently told Ashley Nevel. Given his post‑retirement net worth—$500 million—it’s hardly hyperbole. It didn’t happen by accident either. He credits a game-changing conversation with Magic Johnson: “The first time I met Magic, he pulled me aside and said, ‘It’s OK to be famous, but you want to start owning things.’”

And that advice shaped how he would’ve handled NIL cash at 17. “I would take three [part] and put it away, and I would take $500,000 for myself to just have fun,” he explained. Then he’d hand the rest over to a financial advisor with strict instructions: “Don’t let me touch this until I’m 30. I don’t care if I go broke or do other stuff.” si.

“By the time you’re 30, that three million is nine, ten million, just in case everything goes wrong. That’s what I would do,” he added. He’s not just reflecting—he’s urging today’s athletes to think ahead. “Like I see a lot of these guys get the NIL money, and they get happy, but you can’t get happy until you get to the ultimate prize, and that’s what these kids don’t understand.” For Shaq, the game has never been just about points—it’s about purpose.

NIL money made Shaquille O’Neal frustrated at LSU

Shaquille O’Neal has never been quiet when it comes to college basketball. And with the NIL system flipping everything since 2021, he’s had a few bones to pick. Before, players gave their blood, sweat, and time without expecting a dollar. But now? They can stack checks, build brands, and transfer at the drop of a dime. While that might sound fair in theory, it also shifted the power dynamic. Suddenly, loyalty seems negotiable—and that’s where Shaq starts to get annoyed.

In fact, he’s already made his stance clear. While chatting on The Big Podcast With Shaq, his co-host Adam Lefkoe brought up one of Shaq’s boldest moves. “I told the people at LSU I’m not writing you guys a check if guys aren’t going to commit to us for 2-3 years,” Shaq declared. For him, commitment still counts, and he’s not about to throw money at a system that rewards short-term thinking.

But beyond commitment, Shaq’s concern runs deeper. It’s about the kids getting left behind. With so many athletes transferring, schools often overlook high schoolers who are still waiting for their shot. “I feel sorry for them,” he said, clearly shaken by how much the game has changed.

Even John Fanta chimed in with a question that hit hard: “What happens 20 years from now, when you spend four years at four different places? Who do you have allegiance to? That should still matter.” It’s a question Shaq clearly takes to heart—and one that might just decide who gets his next donation.