"You can’t have people jeopardizing your empire" - Shaquille O’Neal reveals the sensational movie which inspired him to take care of his friends

Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal is a well-known name, even outside the world of basketball – being a business-minded person even before his playing career had concluded. Working hard both on and off the court, O’Neal has amassed more money after his basketball career than he did as a professional athlete.

O’Neal was always engrained with a mindset to take care of the people around him. He’s often featured on the news for his random acts of kindness, which also include strangers he met along the way. But when it came to people that were with him from the beginning, he liked to help them set up something long term.

In his book “Shaq Talks Back,” O’Neal gave a glimpse into his approach while helping his friends:

“Now, I admit, I have let some of my guys use me, somewhat, to get where they want to go in life. I've told them, 'When it's all over, it's gonna be all over. You all are going to make a lot of money. You're going to know some of the people I know and have great opportunities in life.'

"If they want to start up a business, I might help them. But by the time I retire, they should all be set in a lot of ways.”

O’Neal’s efforts throughout his playing career put him in a comfortable position for life. But the man has never liked to settle for less. He wanted to help his friends in a sustainable way – instead of just handing them out some money. O’Neal also reflected on how he was inspired to do so by saying:

“You can't have people jeopardizing your empire. My crew would never do that. Most of them have a tattoo with the initials 'T.W.I.S.M' on it. It's almost like a fraternity thing. It stands for 'The World Is Mine.'

“This is going to sound kind of silly, but I got the idea after watching 'Scarface' in college. Tony Montana, the character played by Al Pacino, had that great, big globe of the world. On it was the message: "The world is ours.”

Shaquille O’Neal has been philanthropic even through his endorsements

Shaquille O’Neal was a very exciting prospect when he entered the league. O'Neal has won championships with the LA Lakers and the Miami Heat, with his size and ability to dominate the paint. His on-court charisma led to him garnering a lot of endorsement deals, even after he retired from the NBA.

Through his endorsement deals, he found a way to give back to the community and make the lives of those with hardships a little bit easier.

Through his Epson Printers endorsement, he launched an initiative called “Epson and Shaq Give Back,” enabling more schools to gain access to technology tools. With Kellogg’s, a new product launched with his face on the cover, helped raise funds to improve sports facilities and equipment for kids in various locations.

O’Neal has probably had an impact on a lot of NBA players and athletes who are now giving back to their respective communities.