You thought it was another rumor in Shaq-lore. But nope. This is not a drill. Shaquille O’Neal wants to buy TikTok. Even if that means outbidding his old friend, Mr Beast. If you’ve been following the drama on the short-form video app lately, TikTok’s parent company has about 75 days to find a buyer. The same players before that brief ban are still in the running, including Elon Musk, Kevin O’Leary, and Mr Beast. During all that, Shaq suddenly threw his name in the hat. It was hard to say if he was playing along to late-night comedians asking him to save TikTok. But as literally huge TikToker, it seems like O’Neal’s serious about taking the entire platform for himself.

This went from funny Shaqism to real, when Jimmy Donaldson, aka Mr Beast, appeared on The Big Podcast. Adam Lefkoe had to point out the similarities between both, including making ginormous impulse buys (like Shaq buying a whole hookah bar when his TNT colleagues left him out). Although Beast’s campaign to buy TikTok is hardly impulsive.

However, when Adam Lefkoe questioned Shaq for not trying to acquire TikTok, O’Neal proved his co-host doesn’t check his Instagram. “You didn’t see my post? Me and Eli Ellis, we getting ready to buy TikTok.” A day before the (shortlived) ban went into effect, O’Neal posted on Instagram that he teamed up with the South Carolina commit, Eli Ellis to buy TikTok. “So I’m putting in my bit also,” claims the NBA legend.

But Shaq has no intention of working with him when it’s more profitable to compete against each other. When Beast asked, “I’ll be competing against you?” O’Neal rephrased it. “Well, you’re a friend. I love your mom. I wouldn’t call it competing. I mean just, hey, two great guys doing business. And listen, if I win you get whatever you want. I know if you win, you going, you know, cut me in on some favors.”

Shaq not only confirmed he’s raising capital to buy TikTok, but he’s ready to outbid Beast. But what quid pro quo could he be looking for?

Shaq has a lot to gain from TikTok

Shaquille O’Neal loves to post dad jokes, his EDM music events, and goofy antics on TikTok. All this underscores his prolific tech and infrastructure investments. Only this week, he was in Miami talking about his investments in major national projects and visited the Missouri governor about using one of his tech companies to streamline government processes.

Both Shaq and Mr Beast are valued at $500 million each. And together their combined net worth would be $1 billion. Together, they could raise the $40 to $50 billion capital to acquire TikTok. While Beast wants to preserve eSports’ stronghold within this space, Shaq is drawn to any community-based platform.

Whether he buys it or his good friend Mr Beast, TikTok would further what Shaq’s already doing through social media – like teaching financial literacy and promoting underrated EDM artists. But if Beast takes an operational role there, he could do that for Shaq too.

Jordan Klepper joked on The Daily Show, that only Shaq could be trusted to keep TikTok cool. The big man must’ve heard it because hours before the ban, he posted, “NO FEAR ELI AND @shaq ARE HERE‼️‼️ #tiktok #insta,” with Eli Ellis.

The duo linked up at a game. No, the young TikTok-famous basketball star was not playing, but a spectator. And it seems like they concocted a plan to buy their favorite platform. Given the timing just hours before the ban, Ellis’ young age, and the suddenness made it sound like a joke. And we were wrong.

It sounds like Shaq is using Ellis’ appeal and know-how to build an investor group to give Mr Beast and Elon Musk competition. And if he doesn’t succeed, Shaq might still end up benefitting from the sale.