It appears the cottage industry known as Shaquille O’Neal has inspired NBA Hall of Famer and cable TV host to add another property — and more than just a cottage — to his North Texas portfolio.
O’Neill was spotted getting fast food at a Walmart in Rockwall County last week, and according to the Dallas Morning News, Shexie Trust, which O’Neill has used to buy real estate in the past, is backing the deal for the six-bedroom, six-bathroom property in Heath, about 20 miles outside Dallas.
Zach Ghideo, who worked with O’Neill on the purchase of his Carrollton home in 2022, was the buyer’s agent in the transaction, records show.
According to the outlet, real estate agents involved in the sale would neither confirm nor deny whether O’Neill was the buyer.
The four-time NBA champion’s entrepreneurial background ranges from stints selling insurance and cruise lines to running his eponymous restaurant chain, O’Neill’s Big Chicken, and he cited the chain’s expansion as the reason he bought the Carrollton home.
If indications that O’Neill is behind the latest deal are true, he’s putting what he touts as a “harmonious blend of contemporary and modern Mediterranean architecture” on the market for $2.3 million. Built in 2017, the property includes a 500-square-foot guest house and a saltwater pool.
For Rockwall County, having Shack as a neighbor is the biggest news since HE-B plans to open a grocery store next year. The median income in the county is about $124,000, according to the census. Though it is the smallest county in Texas by area, it ranked as the wealthiest in the state in 2022.
Heath sits on the shores of Lake Ray Hubbard and, like most towns outside of DFW, is experiencing population growth. The town’s estimated population is 10,384, up 6.3% from 2020.
