Shaquille O'Neal on investing in Google early on: 'My only regret is that I wish I would have bought more' (GOOG, GOOGL)

Avery Hartmans

March 12, 2020 2:14 PM

Former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal says his only regret is not buying more shares of Google in the '90s.

FILE PHOTO: Shaquille O'Neal laughs while telling a story during his announcement of his retirement from the National Basketball Association (NBA) at a news conference at his home in Windermere, Florida June 3, 2011. REUTERS/Scott Audette

That's according to the new book "A-List Angels" by Zack O'Malley Greenburg, which delves into the crossover of celebrity investors and Silicon Valley.
O'Neal bought shares of Google before the company went public in 2004, although he won't say how much he invested.
In the past, O'Neal has said he borrowed Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' investing strategy of putting money into things that make the world a better place.
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Shaquille O'Neal likely doesn't have many financial regrets the former NBA star has had a successful investing career since he retired, likely quadrupling his net worth over the last several years.

But there is one thing O'Neal wished he'd done differently: bought more shares of Google.

That's according to the new book "A-List Angels: How a Band of Actors, Artists, and Athletes Hacked Silicon Valley" by Zack O'Malley Greenburg, which explores how celebrities became major investors in tech startups.

In the book, Greenburg details conversations he had with O'Neal about his investment strategy, which he says is inspired by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos: invest in things that make the world a better place. It was that mindset that O'Neal said inspired an investment in Google in the '90s.

O'Neal said he "got into Google by accident." He was playing with some kids at a restaurant he's said in the past he was babysitting and their dad happened to be a high-profile investor.

"He said, 'Shaq, I like you, I got something for you,'" O'Neal told Greenburg.

O'Neal ended up investing in the search giant, although he has never said how much money he put in.

"It was presented to me, I knew it was gonna hit," O'Neal told Greenburg. "And I said, 'Wow, I'll try it.' My only regret is that I wish I would have bought more."

Google went public in 2004, and these days, the company has a market cap of around $768 billion. Shaq has continued his tech investing spree, taking stakes in Apple and Ring, which was acquired by Amazon for $1 billion. He also invested in the Sacramento Kings, Five Guys, and 24 Hour Fitness.

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