For members of the class of 2026, graduation comes with a nagging uncertainty: in an AI-powered economy, was four years—and thousands of dollars—for a degree really worth it? But if there’s one person still making the case for higher education, it’s Shaquille O’Neal.
The 54-year-old former NBA star has amassed an estimated net worth of roughly $500 million, yet he just earned his fourth college degree; This time, a master of arts in liberal arts from Louisiana State University (LSU).
And his advice to Gen Z is simple: learning doesn’t end with a diploma.
“Never stop learning,” O’Neal told graduates during the LSU commencement ceremony earlier this week. “I’m proud of you all today, but this is not the end of your journey. Make sure you continue to strive, continue to learn, continue to have fun.”
In Shaq fashion, he ended the message with a plug for his candy brand, encouraging students to “continue to eat Shackalicious gummies at your local 7-Eleven and all the other stores.”
But the joke underscored a larger point: O’Neal has built a business empire that stretches far beyond basketball, turning his personal brand into a sprawling portfolio of investments, consumer products, and even a fried chicken chain. Despite his success, he said professional achievement ultimately comes down to something less tangible than credentials.
“Your character will take you further than your resume,” O’Neal said. “Continue to be kind. Continue to be humble. Continue to help those in need.”
Along the way, he leveled that failure is inevitable—and it’ll make you a stronger person.
“Youngsters, before you succeed, you must first learn to fail,” he added. “But in the words of the great Shaquille O’Neal, use failure as motivation. It’s a small percentage of people that accomplish things on the first try. Most of us regular people have to go again, again, again, and again.”
As his net worth climbed, O’Neal needed to know how to manage his money
O’Neal’s latest diploma marks the culmination of a decades-long education journey that began long before he became one of basketball’s biggest stars.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, and raised partially in San Antonio, Texas, the 7-foot-1 phenom emerged as one of the country’s top high school basketball prospects before enrolling at LSU. But like many elite athletes, he left before finishing his degree, declaring for the 1992 NBA draft. The Orlando Magic selected him with the No. 1 overall pick.
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 a bachelor’s degree in general studies in 2000, with a minor in political science.
“I’m the first graduate of LSU to graduate in crayon biology,” O’Neal joked at the time. “I’m excited about it, it gives me something to fall back on. You need your stamp to prove you’re an educated man; I’m an educated man. The money’s always nice, you need an education to manage your money.”
But he didn’t stop there. O’Neal continued pursuing education as a way to sharpen his business instincts and expand his 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 focusing on organizational learning and leadership from Barry University in Miami.
With his newest degree, he sought to learn more about sports psychology leadership. Housed within LSU’s College of Humanities & Social Sciences, the program requires students to take two mandatory foundation courses: “Methods of Inquiry” and “Themes and Commonalities” along with around 30 credit hours of interdisciplinary coursework. For his capstone, O’Neal explored athlete mentorship in a thesis titled, “Interdisciplinary Approach to Mentorship through the lens of the epic poem ‘The Odyssey.’”
O’Neal has also put money behind his belief in education. In 2024, he backed Campus, an online community college startup supported by investors including Sam Altman.
“I heard Jeff Bezos say, if you invest in things that’s going to change people’s lives, you’ll always get a great return on your investment,” O’Neal told Fortune at the time. “But this particular investment is not about great return because I feel that everyone should have access to world-class education.”
Just like O’Neal, Steven Spielberg and Megan Thee Stallion opted to go back to school
While it may seem unusual for someone with O’Neal’s wealth and success to return to the classroom, a growing list of celebrities and business leaders have gone back to obtain degrees long after launching high-profile careers.
Rapper Megan Thee Stallion had started her higher education journey at Prairie View A&M. But as her fame posting freestyle videos took off, she dropped out. Years later, she reenrolled—this time at Texas Southern University—and graduated in December 2021 with a degree in health administration.
“Don’t get discouraged!” she wrote in 2021. “You can chase your dreams and your education at the same time.”
Even Hollywood royalty has taken the long route to graduation.
Billionaire film director Steven Spielberg initially dropped out of college at California State University, Long Beach in the 1960s—opting instead to begin his career as a producer. However, years later—in 2002—he returned to the school to finish what he had started.
“Most people go to college for an education, and some go for their parents, but I went for my kids,” he said in 2016 at Harvard’s commencement address, reflecting on his education career. “I’m the father of seven, and I kept insisting on the importance of going to college — but I hadn’t walked the walk. So, in my fifties, I re-enrolled at Cal State — Long Beach, and I earned my degree.”
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
