Shaq downsizes to Texas suburbs after selling Florida mega-mansion

Everything may be bigger Texas, but Shaquille O’Neal is opting for a smaller abode when it comes to his next house.

Months after selling his mega-mansion in Orlando, Fla., the NBA legend purchased a much smaller, five-bedroom, six-bathroom estate in the Dallas suburbs.

Located in Carrollton, the final listing price of the home was $1.224 million. But it appears the actual price O’Neal paid for it must have been way above asking. While the final sale price is hush-hush, the previous listing did note that there was a deadline for final offers by April 21 — only three days after it first hit the market.

The competitive housing market means O’Neal likely overpaid for the property significantly. According to the Dallas Morning News, which was the first to report the transaction, O’Neal’s expansion of his Big Chicken restaurant chain in Texas was a factor in the purchase.

“It has a lot to do with that, and basic travel — he travels here quite a bit for different things,” Zac Gideo, a real estate agent for Rogers Healy, who worked O’Neal to buy the home, told the outlet. adding that the star plans on living here part-time.

Spanning over 5,200 square feet, features include a library with a dramatic tiered ceiling, a wall of built-in shelves, and a wood-burning fireplace. The kitchen and breakfast room opens out to the great room that offers soaring ceilings, a gas fireplace and a wall of windows overlooking the pool.

The primary suite features a sitting area with a spa-like bathroom, according the listing.

But to compare, his Orlando place, which he finally sold after three years on the market, spanned a colossal 31,000 square feet and had 12 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. It even came with a full-sized basketball court with a 6,000 square-foot “Shaq Center” with bleachers.

Outdoor amenities of his new home include the large pool with an attached spa and a rock waterfall and an awning-covered patio.

Cindy O’Gorman with Ebby Halliday – North Dallas held the listing.