NBA Legend Shaq Says He Gave His 3 Sons 'Dummies Guide' To Business When They Turned 18, But Not His Daughters —'Love You Sweetheart'

Shaquille O'Neal isn't raising his sons and daughters the same way—and he's not shy about why. 

The NBA Hall of Famer, entrepreneur, and father of six has drawn a sharp line between the expectations he sets for his three boys and the ones he holds for his three girls. For the sons? Independence, degrees, and no handouts. For the daughters? A lot more grace—and a lot more room to stay home.

In a 2022 interview on the "PBD Podcast" with host and Valuetainment Media founder Patrick Bet-David, O'Neal laid out his parenting philosophy in no uncertain terms. "I have two different conversations. I have three daughters and I have three sons," he said. "Three sons—when you're 18, get out."

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That blunt send-off comes with conditions. "While you're out, better get one degree, two degrees, before you come messing with me," O'Neal said on the podcast. "Like, I'm not just going to be funding stuff because you want to do it." 

It's the lesson he got himself the hard way after blowing through a million dollars in a single day. His banker handed him a book—"The Dummies Guide to Starting Your Own Business." So when his sons turned 18, O'Neal said he did the same. "I gave them all the same book and I said, ‘Here you go, you're a man now. Make a decision.'"

But when it comes to his daughters, the rules shift. "The ladies are a little different," he told Bet-David. "Hey baby, you can stay as long as you want. I love you, sweetheart."

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O'Neal's dual-track parenting strategy isn't about playing favorites—at least not in his mind. It's about preparing each child in a way that fits his personal philosophy and their role in the family dynamic. He's openly admitted he doesn't want his kids to follow in his footsteps as an athlete. "We don't need another basketball player. Your daddy's crazy," he said on the podcast. "I need a hedge fund operator. I need a CEO."

That same year, O'Neal spoke to The Guardian and returned to the theme, once again crediting the business book for kickstarting his entrepreneurial journey. "The best thing that happened for me is I bought a book, ‘Dummies Guide to Starting Your Own Business,' and my favourite chapter was joint ventureships," he said. "Because I'm a true believer in things that are hard, you break them down to the simplest form."

It's that stripped-down mindset that seems to define O'Neal's empire-building—and his fatherhood. He doesn't just want his sons to succeed. He wants them to struggle, earn, and graduate into responsibility. His daughters, on the other hand? They've got a longer runway. And apparently, a softer place to land.

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This article NBA Legend Shaq Says He Gave His 3 Sons 'Dummies Guide' To Business When They Turned 18, But Not His Daughters —'Love You Sweetheart' originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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