For members of the Class of 2026, graduation comes with lingering uncertainty: In an AI-driven economy, were four years — and thousands of dollars — for a degree really worth it? But if there’s anyone who continues to defend the value of higher education, it’s Shaquille O’Neal.
The former NBA star, now 54, has amassed an estimated net worth of around $500 million, and yet he has just earned his fourth college degree — this time, a master’s degree in liberal arts from Louisiana State University.
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And his advice for Generation Z is simple: learning doesn’t end with a diploma.
“Never stop learning,” O’Neal told graduates during LSU’s graduation ceremony earlier this week. “I’m proud of all of you today, but this is not the end of the journey. Keep trying, keep learning, keep having fun.”
In true Shaq fashion, he ended the message by promoting his candy brand, encouraging students to “continue purchasing Shackalicious gummies at your local 7-Eleven and other stores.”
But the joke reinforced a larger point: O’Neal has built a business empire that goes far beyond basketball, turning his personal brand into a broad portfolio of investments, consumer products and even a fried chicken chain. Despite his success, he said professional performance ultimately depends on something less tangible than credentials.
“Your character will take you further than your resume,” O’Neal said. “Keep being kind. Keep being humble. Keep helping those in need.”
Throughout his speech, he highlighted that failure is inevitable — and that it makes people stronger.
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“Guys, before you can succeed, you need to learn how to fail,” he added. “But in the words of the great Shaquille O’Neal, use failure as motivation. Only a small portion of people achieve anything on the first try. Most of us need to try again, and again, and again.”
When he made money, he saw that he needed to learn how to manage
O’Neal’s latest degree marks the culmination of an educational journey that began decades before he became one of basketball’s biggest names.
Born in Newark and partly raised in San Antonio, the 7-foot-2 phenom became one of the nation’s top high school basketball talents before attending LSU. But, like many elite athletes, he left before completing his course to compete in the 1992 NBA Draft. The Orlando Magic chose him as their first overall selection.
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Even after turning pro, O’Neal remained determined to finish what he started. While playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, he returned to LSU and completed his bachelor’s degree in general studies in 2000 with an additional minor in political science.
“I’m LSU’s first crayon biology graduate,” O’Neal joked at the time. “I’m excited about this because it gives me something to fall back on. You need your degree to prove you’re an educated person; I’m an educated person. Money is always good, but you need education to manage your money.”
But he didn’t stop there. O’Neal continued studying to develop his business acumen and expand opportunities beyond the court. In 2005, he completed an online MBA from the University of Phoenix. Seven years later, he graduated with a doctorate in education with a focus on organizational learning and leadership from Barry University in Miami.
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With his most recent degree, he sought to learn more about leadership and sports psychology. Linked to LSU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the program requires two mandatory courses — “Research Methods” and “Common Themes and Elements” — in addition to around 30 credits in interdisciplinary subjects. As his final work, O’Neal researched mentoring for athletes in a dissertation titled: “Interdisciplinary approach to mentoring from the perspective of the epic poem ‘Odyssey’”.
O’Neal also put money behind his belief in education. In 2024, it supported Campus, an online community college startup whose investors include Sam Altman.
“I heard Jeff Bezos say that if you invest in things that change people’s lives, you’re always going to get a big return on investment,” O’Neal told Fortune at the time. “But this specific investment is not a financial return, because I believe everyone should have access to world-class education.”
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Steven Spielberg and Megan Thee Stallion also went back to school
While it may seem unusual for someone of O’Neal’s wealth and success to return to the classroom, the list of celebrities and business leaders who have pursued degrees long after establishing prominent careers is growing.
Rapper Megan Thee Stallion began her academic career at Prairie View A&M University. But when he gained fame publishing freestyle videos, he abandoned his studies. Years later, he returned — this time to Texas Southern University — and graduated in December 2021 with a degree in health administration.
“Don’t be discouraged!” she wrote in 2021. “You can pursue your dreams and your education at the same time.”
Not even the Hollywood elite were left out of this longer path to the diploma.
Billionaire filmmaker Steven Spielberg dropped out of college at California State University, Long Beach in the 1960s to begin his career as a producer. However, years later — in 2002 — he returned to complete the course.
“Most people go to college for their education, some for their parents, but I went for my children,” he said in 2016, during his commencement speech at Harvard University, reflecting on his academic career.
“I’m a father of seven children and I insisted on the importance of going to college — but I didn’t set an example myself. So, in my 50s, I returned to Cal State Long Beach and completed my degree.”
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