“When I needed cash, he said, ‘how much?'” – John Salley says Shaquille O’Neal loaned him $70,000 when he was broke and didn’t want it back

Shaq was always a gentle giant.

The tales of Shaquille O’Neal’s quiet generosity have stacked up over the years like trophies in a case — some playful, some profound. But none more telling than this: he once handed fellow NBA veteran John Salley $70,000 in cash without hesitation.

No contracts. No strings. No demand for a payback.

It wasn’t some NBA moment for the cameras or a PR stunt tailored for applause. It was a private gesture between teammates. Two men in transition, bound not just by jerseys but by a brotherhood created in the twilight of their professional basketball lives.

O’Neal’s generosity

And it happened at a time when Salley was struggling to stay financially afloat. O’Neal, known for being as large in generosity as he is in frame, simply lent the money — he had no intention of receiving it back.

“When I needed cash, he said, ‘how much?’ Till this day, $70,000,” Salley recalled. “I went back to see him, he said, ‘Nah, we’re good.'”

The two had crossed paths before, but their bond solidified during the 1999–2000 NBA season when Salley joined the Los Angeles Lakers. He was already a three-time NBA champion by then, with titles won with the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls. But those days were in the rearview.

His role in L.A. was a veteran presence, locker room balance, and experience. O’Neal was the centerpiece — a dominant force in his prime, anchoring the Lakers alongside Kobe Bryant on the way to a historic three-peat.

Salley wasn’t raking in massive contracts at that stage of his career. The NBA landscape had changed and veterans were often signed to minimum deals. He wasn’t struggling in the sense of destitution, but money wasn’t flowing the way it once did. That’s when O’Neal, already amassing a massive portfolio through endorsements and savvy business deals, stepped in quietly.

This wasn’t a show of wealth; it was a gesture rooted in respect. Salley, a player who’d earned his stripes, needed support. And O’Neal, understanding the pressure of financial resets after the spotlight fades, stepped up with no expectations. The $70,000 was trust, handed from one man to another without a second thought.

Not wanting it back

Years passed. Careers ended. Lives evolved. Salley didn’t forget. He moved on from the game but found a second wind in entrepreneurship, particularly in the growing cannabis industry. He co-founded Deuces22, a cannabis brand named after his daughter Tyla’s birthdate and jersey number.

He also took an ownership stake in GreenSpace Labs; a company focused on testing cannabis for safety and quality — putting science, credibility, and safety at the forefront of a rapidly evolving sector.

It was here, far from courtside seats and roaring crowds, that Salley truly found his stride again. Business was booming. And still, the $70,000 remained untouched, unclaimed.

“Till this day,” he said. “Because the cannabis business is becoming very, very good for us. I got him in my brain as an investor.”

There’s a layered depth to that statement. O’Neal didn’t formally invest in Salley’s cannabis endeavors, at least not in any publicly documented capacity. But in Salley’s eyes, that long-forgotten cash — once a lifeline, is now legacy.

Salley’s success in the cannabis space is no small feat. The industry was worth billions of dollars in the U.S. and is projected to reach $40 billion by 2030. Such an industry requires more than ambition — it demands credibility, which Salley has spent years cultivating.

Through it all, that $70,000 has taken on new meaning more than repayment but impact. He is still close with O’Neal, attending his jersey retirement and keeping in close contact with him.