Shannon Sharpe says he could have been a billionaire if he had moved forward with an investment in Google.
During an episode of Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast, which featured billionaire businessman Mark Cuban, the host reveals he lucked out of a six-figure investment in Google after receiving advice from his financial team.
The opportunity to invest in what has become a major tech giant was while he was in the NFL signed to the Baltimore Ravens. He was under a four-year contract — although he remained with the team for only two seasons, during 2000 and 2001. The contract was valued at $13.8 million, which encompassed a 4.5 million signing bonus and $4.5 million guaranteed, according to Spotrac.
“I remember when Google came out and they thought shares were gonna open up at about $85 a share. And I remember sending it to my financial guys, and I was like — ‘Oh, you know what?’ I had just signed with the Ravens, so I had some money. And I was like, ‘Man, I’d like to buy $300,000 worth.’ Well, it opens up at $115 [a share], and he says ‘It’s overpriced… It’s gonna come back.’”
Sharpe’s decision to skip on Google appears to be a regretful one as Google, which has been operating under holding company Alphabet since 2015, boasts a $2.081 trillion valuation, notes Companies Market Cap.
Cuban also tells Sharpe he missed out on a major investment in a tech company as well. He was advised by his son to invest in Nvidia, which prides itself as a leader in artificial intelligence computing. However, he was also hoping the share price would decrease.
“Hey, I’ve done that. You’re not the first one. It’s like Nvidia right now… My son wanted to invest in it, and he bought some and then I’m like, ‘I’d rather see it come down first,’ and my son’s like ‘Ah, got you. Who’s the expert now right?’”
Nvidia’s market cap is valued at $3.259 trillion. Still, fortunately for Cuban, he has hit the jackpot in numerous ways. One of his more prominent success stories includes the sale of his company Broadcast.com to Yahoo in 1999 for an impressive $5.7 billion, Business Insider reported. He was also majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks from 2000 until he sold 58% of his stake for nearly $2 billion (pre tax) in 2023, Forbes mentions. Now he still has a minority stake.
The outlet also places his current net worth at $5.7 billion.
As for Sharpe, he is believed to be worth $14 million. As AFROTECH™ previously mentioned, his NFL career earnings totaled $22.3 million in salary alone, as this did not encompass his compensation from brand and endorsement deals from companies including Pizza Hut, Coors Light, Reebok, and Pepsi. Upon retiring from the league, he became known for his presence in media where he formerly served as co-host of “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed” until parting ways with the Fox Sports Network. He is now placing more of his energy towards “Club Shay Shay,” which launched in 2020.
During the recent show, he confessed to Cuban that his investment in Google could have brought his net worth closer to his.
“With my investment I would have been a billionaire with you,” Sharpe revealed.
