But none have melded it together into a multimillion-dollar, airwave-dominating, viral moment-making empire quite like Shaquille O'Neal. "He's literally reshaped what it means to be a retired athlete." "You have to let Shaquille be Shaquille, and the magic will come," his agent, Perry Rogers, said in the HBO documentary series "Shaq." "You've got to say 'likable,' as corny as it sounds," said Brandon Brown, clinical associate professor of sport management at New York Uniersity, when asked to describe O'Neal's brand. But it's not just about the deals — not only would O'Neal's business successor have to have a lengthy and notable career on the court, but longevity off of it as well.

Source: Los Angeles Times June 03, 2023 10:06 UTC