Shilo Sanders and Shareef O’Neal are friends, former athletes, and sons of two of the cheapest fathers in sports — Deion Sanders and Shaquille O’Neal, respectively.
Which Millionaire Dad Is The Cheapest?
The two had a playful back-and-forth this week at the ComplexCon convention in Las Vegas over whose dad is the bigger cheapskate.
Social media posts of the encounter revealed that Shilo believes his father, Deion, takes the title of being the cheaper dad.
Despite being the son of an NBA legend himself, Shareef last played for the NBA G League Ignite and said he had to beg his dad just to get the latest Nike Jordan shoes growing up.
When he asked Shilo if he could relate, the former Colorado safety and son of the Buffaloes head coach told him Jordans were out of his league.
Deion only hooked him up with Under Armour gear because it was free courtesy of his endorsement deal.
Shilo joked that his dad would take him and his siblings to Red Lobster or Golden Corral, while Shareef countered that Shaq had him and his siblings eating at Hooters.
Whether it was a public buffet or a “breastaurant,” one thing is abundantly clear: Deion and Shaq, despite their wealth and fame, never let their fortunes go to their heads.
As Finurah previously reported, Deion has an estimated net worth of $60 million. Shaq, on the other hand, is worth roughly $500 million.
The average “cheap” dinner per person at Golden Corral runs about $20. Hooters comes in a little higher at around $25 to $30. Red Lobster, the priciest of the bunch, averages about $60 per person for a full meal.
Of course, whether Deion or Shaq flashed a coupon, scored a discount, or got comped entirely could turn an already cheap night out into something virtually priceless for multimillionaires.
Their down-to-earth parenting has raised kids who are not only disciplined, their fathers’ money is their own, but also grounded enough to laugh about it, rather than flaunt extravagant pride or entitlement.
Shareef reportedly signed a six-figure deal with G League Ignite during the 2022–23 season, with outlets like CBS Sports and People confirming the contract was worth at least $100,000.
At LSU, he made around $10,800 per Instagram post based on follower count and engagement at the time, 2021–2022.
Shilo, undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft, signed a three-year, $2.965 million undrafted free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a safety, The Times of India reported.
He was waived during the 2025 preseason and remains a free agent.
His younger brother, Shedeur, is currently the backup quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.
