EXCLUSIVEShaquille O'Neal Has 'No Interest in Basketball' as He Dives Into New Futuristic Endeavor: 'I Retired Years Ago'
Shaquille O'Neal traded basketball talk for futuristic tech while celebrating his new partnership with tm:rw in Times Square.
May 8 2026, Published 10:58 a.m. ET
Though Shaquille O'Neal remains one of the most recognizable names in sports, the NBA legend made it clear basketball is no longer his main focus.
“I have no interest in basketball,” O’Neal declared while discussing the New York Knicks’ playoff run during an exclusive chat with OK!. “I'm not a basketball player. I retired years ago.”
Still, the Hall of Famer couldn’t resist offering one final take on the postseason, noting Karl-Anthony Towns is the key to the Knicks being “a very dangerous” team when he steps up and shines.
Shaq Invests in tm:rw
'I have no interest in basketball,' Shaq declared as he discussed his latest business venture with innovation hub tm:rw.
These days, O’Neal is focused on the future — literally.
The former athlete is teaming up with tm:rw, a futuristic retail and innovation experience located in New York City’s Times Square, as an investor, partner and global ambassador.
During an interview at the brand’s immersive launch event on April 9, O’Neal gushed over the experiential concept, which combines technology, entertainment, robotics, AI and shopping into one interactive destination.
'I Don't Invest for Monetary Purposes'
From drones to 3D-printed shoes, Shaquille O'Neal said tm:rw reminded him of the excitement he once felt visiting FAO Schwarz as a kid.
“When I invest, I don't invest for monetary purposes,” the 54-year-old explained. “I invest in things that's going to change people's lives. That's it. I only invest in stuff that I believe in.”
The NBA icon admitted he hadn’t experienced this level of excitement in retail since childhood visits to FAO Schwarz and browsing gadgets at Sharper Image.
“For me, it wasn't a store. It was an experience,” O’Neal shared. “We don't have that at a lot of retail anymore.”
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Shaq Dropped $20,000 During Visit at tm:rw's London Location
Shaquille O'Neal 'spent $8,000 the first time' he entered tm:rw.
The sports star revealed he was so blown away after first visiting the store that he immediately wanted to get involved.
“I spent $8,000 the first time,” Shaq recalled, adding that he later visited the store's London location and dropped “another $20,000.”
Among his favorite experiences inside the space were testing drones, virtual reality technology and even having custom size-22 shoes 3D-printed from a scan of his foot.
'They 3D printed me some shoes right here,' Shaq, a size 22, excitedly shared.
“The thing that really made me fall in love with this store — I put my foot in this box and they 3D printed me some shoes right here,” he said.
tm:rw CEO Nathalie Bernce described the company as “the global home of innovation,” explaining that the goal is to make futuristic technology feel exciting and approachable for consumers.
“The future is exciting. We shouldn't be afraid of it,” Bernce said while discussing the rise of AI. “We want to humanize that experience, to educate people and invite them in.”
