If trolling Charles Barkley were a subject, Shaquille O’Neal would have already earned his PhD. We saw another example when Big Diesel returned to Baton Rouge, 26 years later, to receive his actual master’s degree. Shaq managed to convince the faculty member to introduce him as “Shaquille ‘I Hate Charles Barkley’ O’Neal.” He then waved to the fans and hammed it up with a dance before shaking the professor’s hand and accepting his diploma. But alongside stacking degree after degree, the NBA legend just appeared to confirm that he will have more frequent visits to his alma mater, LSU, from now on.

O’Neal received his second Master’s degree, a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts (MALA) from LSU. In total, the four-time NBA champ now has four certifications, but he claims he has a fifth as well… “Bachelor’s, two master’s, a doctorate, and a street degree,” Shaq said with a smirk. While there isn’t much clarity on the street degree bit, after also being a DJ, rapper, investment mogul, and reserve police officer, O’Neal has unveiled the next step in his professional journey.

The retired big man is now preparing to don a teacher’s hat. “I’m about to be hired as a professor at LSU,” O’Neal announced. His co-analysts were in shock and in awe, and Kenny Smith probed further about which class the Los Angeles Lakers legend will actually take. “A class on mentorship,” Shaq clarified on Inside the NBA with Ernie Johnson, even adding, “Oh, that’s, I know you’re big into that.” Shaq’s favorite scapegoat, Barkley, immediately interjected himself into the conversation and added a few words of praise before the subject changed. “I’m proud of you for getting a degree, brother,” Chuck said.

O’Neal has already been contributing to teaching and empowering the next generation. The Big Aristotle has the ‘Shaq Scholars Program’ in partnership with Campus, which provides underserved students with debt-free degrees. His program helps with full-tuition scholarships, laptops, and hands-on mentorship from industry and Silicon Valley leaders. And now, teaching at LSU will also help address an issue close to his heart.

In December 2024, Shaq revealed why he wanted a mentor growing up. “I wish I had a professor like this to teach me this stuff. Cuz again I know some of you may look up to me, but I’m lucky, I’m one of the luckiest guys in the world,” O’Neal said on an episode of The Grind, a business plan competition from Campus. And while the role of a mentor is to trust the student and help them with their plans to achieve success, Shaq once had his idea shut down brutally…

“I always tell a story how I fail my marketing class similar to this, and I came in with Shaq shoes, Shaq shirts, and the guy gave me an F,” the NBA legend recalled. “He said, ‘You didn’t put any thought into it. Big guys never sale’ and I was kind of discouraged.” But then, with Magic Johnson as a mentor, O’Neal learned the blueprint for successful business creation, and today he stands with a reported net worth of $500 million. How was he influenced?

Back when Shaq was drafted in ’92 by the Orlando Magic, the big man later admitted he blew through $1 million from his $17.4 million rookie contract in roughly 45 minutes. That’s when Johnson got word of what had happened and shared some advice with Shaq. But none of it made sense to the 19-year-old. Fortunately, he was open to learning and eventually realized that Johnson had earned only $40 million during his playing career in the ’80s. And it was the Lakers legend’s masterful capital investments in Starbucks franchises, healthcare, sports ownership, and real estate that slowly multiplied his income.

Then came Shaq’s turn to build an investment portfolio of his own, and it is safe to say that he did much more than that. Alongside his professional stints with Reebok, O’Neal has ownership stakes in Google, Papa John’s, and a variety of franchises. He owns a Krispy Kreme franchise in Atlanta and co-founded Big Chicken, a Louisiana-style fried chicken sandwich chain. You were wrong if you thought it ended there… Shaq has also invested in car washes, health clubs, Las Vegas nightclubs, and, at one point in time, owned 155 Five Guys franchises, roughly 10 percent of all Five Guys locations! The former NBA star, though, doesn’t believe in basking in his success all alone. He has set out to spread the word and educate the younger generation about topics schools often skip.

Like his co-host, Johnson said, O’Neal is big in the mentorship space. A year ago, when he joined the Sacramento State men’s basketball program as general manager, the former big man made his vision and purpose for joining the front office crystal clear. “This is about more than banners and trophies, but preparing these student-athletes for life on and off the court,” O’Neal said in a statement. Alongside that vision, though, Shaq believes in talking the talk and walking the walk and continues to educate himself post-retirement.

As recently as last month, Shaq told the New York Post that he was also thinking about a degree in sports psychology, “but it was a little too much for me, the psychology field.” But you can never rule anything out when the former Lakers star is involved. He currently holds a Bachelor of General Studies (2000), a Master of Business Administration (2005), a Doctor of Education (2012), and a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts (2026).

Over the years, despite the luxuries, the big man has insisted his six children, Taahirah, Myles, Shareef, Shaqir, Amirah, and Me’arah, do well at school and become capable regardless of their family name. Alongside setting an example for his kids in the education space, Shaq hates the celebrity label he has acquired. His subsequent actions prove how much he cares about how his children eventually handle their social interactions and lifestyle when he isn’t around.

“I denounced myself from being a celebrity about 10 years ago because those people are weird. I’m not weird,” O’Neal recently added. “Whenever I come, it’s me and two guys. No entourage. There’s nothing but homeboys coming in… We treat people with honor and respect. I want to be a regular guy.”

Well, Shaq might claim he is a regular guy, but no regular person earns four degrees! The NBA legend remains a testament to how celebrities and basketball stars should handle their finances and social lives across their careers and long into retirement.