Does Shaquille O'Neal own forever 21? Looking at Laker legend's investment portfolio

Shaquille O’Neal has become quite the businessman after his NBA career. When he is not on the turntables as a DJ or giving takes on “Inside the NBA," O’Neal looks out for his financial outlook. His investments have even spilled into retail with companies like Forever 21.

This year, O’Neal became the second-largest shareholder in Authentic Brands Group, which is based in New York. They are a brand management firm and own majority holdings in multiple apparel and entertainment companies. They partner with other companies to license and merchandise the brands they control.

Forever 21 is just one of the many brands under their corporate umbrella. Authentic Brands also runs Reebok, Brooks Brothers, JCPenny, and more.

The company also owns name and image-likeness rights to celebrities. These include Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, and Muhammad Ali.

O’Neal’s partnership with the group began in 2015, when he signed with the company to manage his image and likeness deals. He is not the only basketball legend to sell his marketing rights. Julius Irving, aka Dr. J., also sold his marketing rights to the company in 2016.

In 2019, the company acquired Sports Illustrated for $110 million and then licensed the brand to the Maven Group.

Authentic Brands is one of the country's largest retail conglomerates. They also unveiled a new company department in the form of a production studio. "Authentic Studios" is a production studio that will create material for the company's diverse portfolio.

O’Neal’s Jersey Legends is an arm of the production company. They produced a four-part documentary about O’Neal titled "SHAQ.” The show aired on HBO and can be streamed on MAX.

Shaquille O'Neal owned shares in Authentic Brand when O'Neal sold his marketing rights to them in 2015. He became the second-largest shareholder when he sold half of his marketing rights to the corporation.

What does Shaquille O’Neal own?

Shaquille O'Neal serves as a brand ambassador and spokesperson for dozens of companies. He has been featured in commercials for Gold Bond foot powder, Icy Hot pain ointment, and General Car Insurance.

O’Neal also owns multiple fast food chains, including his signature Big Chicken, Five Guys Burgers, and Papa John’s Pizza.

O’Neal has also been a featured speaker at TechCrunch. He is a venture capitalist in Silicon Valley and often invests in tech startups. He once owned multiple shares in Ring cameras before they were sold. He is also invested in education technology companies that develop apps to assist in learning.