If Shaquille O’Neal was to be compared to a rapper by means of basketball, who would it be? Well, if you are unclear, Shaq himself gave an answer for this several years back. The Big Diesel called himself the “50 Cent of the NBA” in an interview. One of many who helped Shaq develop a love for rap was the 48-year-old legend. Surprisingly, a few months ago, the two showed a strong desire towards a network that was valued near $3 billion two decades ago. Both these legends have made crucial investments that have helped them succeed in life.

This could have been a similar one for the two! Anyhow, the potential big deal took a wild turn after the demand for it got higher. However, that did not stop the 4x NBA champion from showing his love for his fellow rap friend. 

Shaquille O’Neal credits 50 Cent on his special day 

$400 million Shaquille O’Neal had a chance to bag a television network a few months back. In an attempt to steal the show, the Los Angeles Lakers legend teamed up with the $40 million rap sensation to make a difference. The two were later joined by American film writer Kenya Barris worth $75 million, who showed a strong interest in the TV network. However, things got out of hand. 

BET aka Black Entertainment Network had a huge impact on television culture back in 2000. When acquired by Viacom 23 years ago, BET was valued at a massive $2.7 billion. Due to sudden changes in trends and inefficiency, the 43-year-old company’s net worth took a sudden hit. 

Now valued at less than $20 million, the NBA legend along with the 2010 Grammy Award winner and Kenya Barris decided to change things around by purchasing a majority stake in the network. Though all three have a collective net worth of $515,000,000, they couldn’t accomplish this investment. 

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Regardless of the failure, Shaq decided to cheer up his rap friend 50 Cent on his birthday. As Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson turned 48, Shaq shared an Instagram story to wish the rap legend. 

O’Neal shared a post by Complex that displayed pictures of Jackson over the years. One of the pics shows a young LeBron James hanging out with the rap legend. But how didn’t the trio of Shaq, Jackson, and Barris fail to purchase the network?

How did Shaq and Co. let the big deal slip through?

53-year-old veteran actor Tyler Perry stood as the underdog amid Shaq, Barris, 50 Cent, and several other celebrities. As one of the partners of Viacom, Perry now has claimed ownership of both BET and VH1 in this new deal. 

Though there has not been any official announcement yet, several reports and social media pages have confirmed the news. Regardless of the confirmation, LA legend Shaq and 50 Cent did not have a shot at this deal. 

Read more: Millionaire 50 Cent, Who Said He Has “a Gun Big Enough” To Hold Shaq Down, Finally Gets a Response from Shaquille O’Neal

What are your thoughts on Shaq letting this deal slip through? Share in the comments below.