Celebrities

Shaquille O’Neal, 52, gave his girlfriend 10 years his junior the most expensive house in Florida to enjoy love to the fullest

Shaquille O’Neal sold his Florida property for $11M after three years and five brokers. This transaction saved 60% off the $28M asking price. Benjamin Hillman, Premier Sotheby’s International Realty’s fifth agent, closed the deal. He thanked Shaq for choosing him and promised to find the right buyer.

The Isleworth golf enclave west of Orlando’s 31,000-square-foot house features breathtaking Lake Butler vistas. The property has many characteristics to rival the nation’s most expensive houses. The property has a 6,000-square-foot Miami Heat-themed basketball court, a 17-car showroom, a cigar club, a wine cellar, a theater, a safe, a recording studio, a hieroglyphics-decorated aquarium, and a “Shaq-apulco.” pool.

A big artwork of the former MVP driving a semitruck hangs in the living room, while Superman is painted on the mirror walls in the auto showroom. A spacious lobby with two mahogany staircases, tray ceilings, and marble floors welcomes guests to the 12-bedroom mansion. The 44-foot office and main suite with cheetah-print carpet overlook the peaceful ocean.

The four-acre property has 700 feet of lakefront, a private dock, and a tiki hut. Gates, a 10-foot privacy wall, and 15–18 security cameras keep visitors away. Shaquille O’Neal, 49, won four NBA titles with six teams. After retiring, he commented on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Public records show he paid $3.95M for the property in 1993. Benjamin Hillman listed, and Rob Rahter of Stockworth Realty Group represented the buyer.