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Shaq Says He Won’t Text NBA Players, Citing Disdain for ‘Superstar’ Culture

The Hall of Famer now favors study over status.

Overview

  • O’Neal, 54, told the New York Post on Saturday that he doesn’t text any past or present NBA players, saying many athletes and superstars are “a--holes.”
  • He said he renounced celebrity about a decade ago and tries to carry himself as a regular guy at public appearances without an entourage.
  • He highlights his education, noting a bachelor’s degree, an MBA, and a 2012 PhD in education, and says he is now pursuing a master’s in liberal arts.
  • He pushes young athletes in the name, image, and likeness era to learn money management before chasing payouts, saying education protects their earnings.
  • He also points to real-estate projects in his native Newark, saying he invested in two residential high-rises valued together at more than $230 million.