On Monday, Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal held a free concert at Southern Methodist University in Texas.
O’Neal, who goes by DJ DIESEL in the EDM scene, teamed up with Credit One Bank to make a heartwarming gesture for SMU students.
According to Alyssa Fields of the Dallas Observer, Shaq gave away $50,000 to several students throughout his concert.
One of the students, Zariyah Perry, confided to the four-time NBA champion that she had a $20,000 loan to produce a feature as part of her pursuit of a film degree.
Shaq gave her a chance to win $10,000 if she could make a free throw, and she did.
More students got the opportunity to win money and alleviate the pressure of earning a degree.
Shaq on Why He Partnered With Credit One Bank
As part of his partnership with Credit One Bank, Shaquille O’Neal will be touring several universities to perform free concerts.
After SMU, Shaq will also visit Georgia State University on October 23, his alma mater Louisiana State University on November 6 and Florida Atlantic University on November 9.
In a statement via press release, the Hall of Famer explained he chose to partner with Credit One Bank.
“I’m always learning, I never stop,” O’Neal said. “I learned credit the hard way. Nobody broke it down for me back then. Now I’ve got kids in college, kids right out of it, and I want them starting smarter than I did. That’s what the Credit One Bank Credit Tip Off Tour is about. And yeah, we’re still going to have fun.”
O’Neal is one of the business-savvy athletes around, building a network of partnerships with companies over the years. He has an estimated net worth of around $500 million.
Some of the brands Shaq is a part of include Reebok, Papa John’s, Big Chicken, JC Penney, Pepsi and many more.
How Does Shaq Choose His Partnerships?
Speaking to NBA.com back in 2019, Shaquille O’Neal revealed the three key aspects of how he chooses the brands he collaborates with.
The first one is that the product should be affordable to the average consumer or the middle class. The second is that the four-time NBA champ needs to believe in the product, and he can use it himself.
And the final one was that the commercials should be funny and will bring laughter to the viewers.
O’Neal continues to build his business empire while also remaining helpful to people. He has always gone viral over the years for making donations and paying for stuff when going out as a way to pay it forward.
Lakers Legend Shaquille O’Neal Makes Heartwarming Gesture at Recent Concert