Shaquille O'Neal goes to an auction just to help drive up the price but it backfires as he accidentally buys his son a Rolex
Published on Oct 04, 2026 at 12:05 PM (UTC-4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Oct 04, 2026 at 12:05 PM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
Shaquille O’Neal found himself in a problem that only a rich person could get entangled in, when he ended up accidentally buying a Rolex for his son.
In 2022, the former basketballer had rocked up at an auction with his son, Shareef.
The idea was that he would help drive up the prices of the items by putting in bids, encouraging other bidders to raise the stakes.
But that wasn’t quite what ended up happening.
Shaquille O’Neal is known for splashing his cash about
When you have an estimated net worth of $500 million, it’s easy to get into a habit of spending.
That’s certainly true of Shaquille O’Neal, former basketball legend and current supercar lover.
It’s fair to say that his bank account has been seeing a lot of automotive-related action in recent years.
Whether it’s dropping seven figures to spite a car dealer or forgetting that he had two Cadillac Escalades, Shaq has plenty of experience with what we could best describe as ‘rich people problems’.
And what happened at an auction back in 2022 is a perfect example of that.
Shaquille O’Neal had an auction strategy that backfired hilariously
Shaq was at an auction with his son, Shareef, when a Rolex watch came up for bidding.
The former athlete started off bidding with $15,000.
As other attendees put in their bids, things began heating up, and the number kept going higher and higher.
Not that Shaq wasn’t a willing participant.
At one point, he pushed up Shareef’s arm to raise the bid to $21,000.
And that’s when the auctioneer called time on the auction, meaning the Rolex now belonged to Shareef.
“I was trying to raise the auction prices, and I bought him a damn Rolex,” Shaq later quipped in an interview.
How ‘accidental’ this whole thing was depends on your perspective, but at any rate, Shaq can certainly afford it.
We just hope that there’s no sibling rivalry when his other five kids get wind of what he spent on Shareef.
Some watches can go for extravagant figures
As expensive as cars are, they might have some competition from watches.
In fact, we compiled a list of seven watches that cost more than a Bugatti Chiron just to make that point.
There are watches out there with some seriously jaw-dropping price tags.
You may recall that Mark Zuckerberg rocked a $2.5 million timepiece while making an appearance at the UFC.
And then there’s the watch that belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II – potentially one of the most expensive in the world.
Most Expensive Watches In The World
Graff Diamonds Hallucination ($55 million): Derives its value primarily from rare gemstones, as it features over 110 carats of rare colored diamonds.
Graff Diamonds The Fascination ($40 million): Features a removable 38 carat pear-shaped diamond at its center which can be worn as a ring.
Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010 ($31 million): Remains the record for the most expensive wristwatch sold at auction.
Breguet Grand Complication No. 160 ($30 million): Commissioned in 1783 for Marie Antoinette, then the Queen of France. It took 40 years to complete, and wouldn’t be completed until after her death.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Joaillerie 101 Manchette ($26 million): Custom-crafted for Queen Elizabeth II to mark her 60th year on the throne.
Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
