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NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has aspirations of adding team governor to his lengthy resume.
O’Neal told Arash Markazi of The Messenger that he hopes to lead an ownership group for a Las Vegas team if the NBA expands there.
“I would like to have my own group,” O’Neal said. “I know Vegas hasn’t been awarded an NBA team yet but if they ever get to a point where they are awarded a team, I would like to be a part of that. I don’t want to partner up with nobody. I want it all for myself.”
O’Neal was speaking at The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation’s annual charity gala, The Event, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Per Markazi, The Event “raises money for The Boys and Girls Clubs and Communities In Schools throughout Las Vegas and Atlanta.”
“I’ve been living in Las Vegas for over 20 years,” O’Neal said. “I love it here. Las Vegas has always been a city you knew was going to grow. You could see different casinos, different real estate projects and different night clubs popping up. I’ve always been a part of it. I used to own one of the hottest night clubs, sold it and now I got 9-10 restaurants here. I’m doing very, very well and I want to continue to grow with Vegas.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has said the league would explore possible expansion once the next media rights deals expire in 2025. Markazi wrote that “Las Vegas and Seattle have long been rumored to be the most likely destinations for expansion franchises.”
O’Neal is not the only basketball legend who is interested in bringing a team to Las Vegas, as Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has long expressed a desire to do the same thing when he retires.
O’Neal had previously had a stake in the Sacramento Kings since 2013, but he sold his share in the franchise last year following a business deal with WynnBet and Wynn Las Vegas.
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