First Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, then soccer star Neymar, and now Shaquille O’Neal. Fortnite deals with top athletes won’t stop anytime soon. Ever since the leaks about the Lakers legend have appeared, the fans are certainly on board with the collaboration. But this is not the first time that the $31.5 billion brand is teaming up with NBA stars. So what’s the unique honor?

ShiinaBR, known for leaking the latest Fortnite news, shared “FORTNITE X SHAQ – OCTOBER 4.” Once it is official, Shaquille O’Neal will become the first nonactive NBA player to be a part of the game. The active players list features, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, also not to forget the special Player ‘Locker Bundles’.

Those bundles were released in 2021, which included personal favorite Fortnite items used by NBA players Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young when they play the game. During the same press release, ‘Fortnite x NBA: The Crossover ‘enabled gamers to suit up and rep any of the league’s 30 teams.

We will have to wait for Shaquille O’Neal’s response, but it’s not his first rodeo with Esports. The $500 million worth legend had invested $155 million with the NRG Esports. “When I got the opportunity to invest in an esports team, I thought it was the right thing to do. Because you know, especially when it comes to technology, kids dictate what’s going to be and what’s not going to be. I knew it then, and I know it now: esports is still one of the fastest-growing industries, and it just appeals to so many people.” 

That’s why he was even the first person to confirm the new signing back in 2020. The investor of the team revealed to the world that Cody “Clix” Conrod was part of the Fortnite roster. The viewership for the announcement peaked at 190k on Twitch. So Shaq has been hands-on with his investment. Even so much that he couldn’t resist hinting about the collaboration with Fortnite.

Shaquille O’Neal drops hints about the new project

The 4x NBA Champion is known for his quirky and creative commercials. Be it the latest Home Depot commercials during the NCAA tournament or his funny Pepsi ads. Plus, with his 35 million flowers on Instagram, the marketing for any product is top-notch. And to test the waters about Fortnite, Shaq used his DJ persona not once but twice to hint at the latest collaboration.

In February, DJ Diesel released a 3D music video for “Chaos,” featuring Chicago native GAWNE. The latest idea from Shaquille O’Neal felt like an immersive experience very similar to Fortnite. Many fans felt at the time that it was in collaboration due to near-perfect skins, which gamers use. Recently, for another project this time in real life, there was a huge hint.

During his Toronto trip, Shaquille O’Neal performed at the Rebel Entertainment Complex. In that performance, the Lakers legend showcased a video where animated Thanos Shaq was seen, a very similar character to the Fortnite skin. If you think it was another coincidence, let’s look at Shaq’s caption.

“Toronto… last night was EPIC 😉.” Epic Games is the developer for Fortnite. So, O’Neal definitely knows that the people are excited about the new launch. It’s another solid marketing ploy to keep people hooked until the official announcement. Is he again going for his previously confessed Big Chicken trick? If yes, then it is certainly working.

“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.”