From dominating virtual courts in ‘Shaq fu’ to slamming digital dunks in ‘NBA Jam’, Shaquille O’Neal has always been a towering presence in the gaming world. The NBA legend’s pixelated journey began long before esports became mainstream, with his larger-than-life personality transcending from hardwood floors to gaming consoles. Now, as O’Neal makes his way into the battle royale phenomenon Fortnite, he reveals an unexpected source of inspiration.

In a recent interview with ‘People‘ that has the gaming community buzzing, the 4x NBA Champion disclosed that his desire to become a Fortnite character was ignited by 10x Grammy-nominated rapper Travis Scott’s inclusion in the game. “I saw they were putting in different people. I remember when Travis Scott got into it, it was really big, and I kind of wanted to do the same thing and they accepted, so it’s very, very exciting,” said Shaq in the interview. However, the fact that the seven-footer was inspired by a rapper to be in the game was quite unusual.

In the past, many characters of NBA players like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Trae Young, and Donovan Mitchell had been added to the game. It would have made sense that the veteran basketball was inspired by another basketball player, but being inspired by someone from a different background was kind of a shocker for both the NBA and the gaming community. However, the Lakers veteran had his own reason. “I haven’t seen LeBron’s or Giannis’ skins, I actually thought I was going to be the first one,” said Shaq during the interview.

Moreover, being inspired by Travis is also quite understandable. The rapper’s character was added to the game in 2020 during the pandemic lockdown when the gaming community was on the rise. Upon that, a special virtual in-game ‘Astronomical’ event was conducted which featured a surreal performance set against a cosmic backdrop. This event hyped up the game’s popularity and garnered millions of players to sign up for it. As mentioned by Big Diesel, he was part of the same fanbase that was lured by this character addition.

Now coming to Shaq’s character in the game, Fortnite developers have added two versions of the character, one being the original one and the other being the Super Shaq that would have DJ Diesel features. Not only this, but developers are also planning to add Shaq’s famous shimmy move as an emote in the game. And while he may have missed the memo on his fellow NBA stars’ Fortnite appearances, there’s no denying that Shaq’s gaming journey has come full circle from being a figure in sports gaming to joining the world’s most popular battle royale. However, did you know that the seven-footer during the interview also shared an insight about his ex-teammate’s common interest?

Shaquille O’Neal shared that another Los Angeles Lakers player was big into gaming

Big Aristotle and Kobe Bryant are often remembered as rivals due to the leadership feud between them, but their time together with the Los Angeles Lakers was marked by incredible success. Despite their differences in playing styles and personalities, they shared a common deep bond in one thing. In a recent interview, Shaq revealed that Bryant was just as passionate about gaming as he was.

Shaq revealed during the interview that NBA players had the tendency to carry their gaming consoles whenever they traveled. “When I first came, I think it was Sega and all those different games, but yeah, everybody played. When Kobe first came in, that’s all he did was stay at home and play video games — it really is something that’s been going on for a long, long time,” said the 52-year-old (as per ‘People’). He also stated that there used to be many gaming tournaments among different teams but with age, he left everything.

The revelation of Bryant’s gaming enthusiasm adds another layer to the complex relationship between the two basketball icons. While they may have clashed on the court, their shared love for gaming served as a common ground that helped to strengthen their bond. But seems like Shaq is going back to his gaming console soon.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.