Shaquille O'Neal's Former Home Has Some Weird Features
Shaquille O'Neal is a larger-than-life character, so it should come as no surprise when you learn of the ridiculous features that lie within his massive Florida mansion. The four-time NBA champion had an amazing career that spanned nearly two decades. During that time, the seven-foot-one center won the Rookie of the Year title, multiple MVP awards, and was a 15-time All-Star, according to the Shaq website. But what kind of digs did the Hall of Fame basketball player enjoy in his free time? The answer is clear from his former four-acre home located on the banks of Lake Butler.
O'Neal purchased the spacious property for $3.95 million back in 1993, during his rookie season with the Orlando Magic, per Realtor.com. Over the next 25 years when the home served as his main residence, he added some seriously Shaq-like touches that made it truly unique. Some of the wilder amenities may have been the reason it took him more than a few years to sell the property. Originally listed in 2018 for a staggering $28 million, the price was soon lowered to $22 million, then eventually sold in 2021 for $11 million — less than half of its debut amount. But what was it that made the mega-mansion so unique that it took that long to sell? Read on to find out.
Outside of Shaquille O'Neal's mega-mansion
Sitting on four acres of land in sunny Windermere, Florida, Shaquille O'Neal's former mansion rests in an almost peninsula-like fashion, with over 700 feet of shoreline amongst Lake Butler. There is a picturesque dock that stretches out onto the lake, offering stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
Enclosed in tight security with closed-circuit cameras, the property has a 94-foot long and 15-foot deep swimming pool that features a cascading waterfall, per the listing on Realtor.com. Around the pool area are a hot tub and full outdoor kitchen equipped with a barbeque and ample seating for some serious entertaining. Plenty of balconies overlook the amazing property and offer enough room for a small village to take in the scenery. According to Business Insider, the property is also located right near a swanky gated golf community, as well as only a short distance away from Orlando. However, all of the amazing outdoor amenities pale in comparison to the weird wonders you will find inside Shaq's estate.
The weird features inside O'Neal's former mansion
The sprawling 31,000-square-foot mega-mansion has all the quirks you might imagine in someplace a seven-foot-tall basketball star calls home. Every doorway is taller than standard, every window is massive with breathtaking views, and every bathtub has room to spare. The floors are made of gleaming marble, the kitchen has all the newest appliances, and the atmosphere of these spaces projects elegance. But within the 14-bedroom, and 11-bathroom home are details that are so niche that's it's no wonder the home took some time to sell.
Throughout the home, Shaquille O'Neal has had the walls adorned with the Superman logo that he has been known to adopt, and in one living room, there is a floor-to-ceiling mural of him in a diesel truck, according to People. You can also find a 17 car garage, 1,400-square-foot cigar and wine bar, a room with an Egyptian hieroglyph-adorned aquarium, and a multi-purpose game room. One of the largest and most extravagant features is the 6,000-square-foot, NBA-official basketball court, which has the full logo of the Miami Heat smack dab in the middle of the floor. The impressive athletic area is overlooked by windows from the second level and a large skylight. It must have been difficult for Shaq to move on from a home he had customized and lived in for over 25 years, but for the new owner, it's sure to be a slam dunk.