Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal reveals his favorite video games, also talking about his association with NBA 2K.
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An NBA legend, entrepreneur, TV analyst, DJ, and philanthropist, Shaquille O’Neal is a man of many hats. The former seven-foot center boasts a staggering net worth of $400 million and is one of the most recognized sports celebrities globally.
A darling of the advertising world, Shaq has a host of endorsements under his name, ranging from FMCG to technology to food & beverages. One could find the Big Diesel regularly on billboards, supermarket shelves, and TVCs.
Recently, O’Neal was busy promoting the Mountain Dew NBA 2K23 Player’s Pack Bundle in association with Papa John’s, which allows gamers to get up to $1 million in gear in the latest NBA 2K release with the purchase of a large, 3-topping pizza and a 20 oz Dew.
In light of the above campaign, the four-time champion spoke about playing video games and his association with 2K in a candid chat with Dime Magazine.
Shaquille O’Neal was an avid gamer in the past.
Though his seven-foot stature might be intimidating at first, Shaq is one of the most adored sports personalities in the world. The four-time champion is popular among all generations, given his universal approach. While we are aware of the Big Diesel’s love for basketball, the Lakers MVP also shares a liking for gaming online.
While he may not play as much today, Shaq never minds a virtual UFC fight or an NBA game. The Diesel is also a brand ambassador for NBA 2K. Owing to his busy schedule, when asked if he gets time to play today, O’Neal had the following response.
“I used to play it a lot. I’m gonna be honest with you, I don’t play that much now. But whenever we do charity events for kids, it’s always an NBA 2K gaming station, and I play the kids. Like I said, last time I played with last UFC event, Usman vs. Edwards. So we had that. But I love the technology of NBA 2K23.”
Having been associated with 2K closely, Shaq has always been in awe of the innovation the gaming giant provides to its users.
“I’ve actually been a part of the game, Ernie, Kenny, and myself. We take countless hours, weeks, months at a time laying down those things. And it’s quite interesting how they have a scenario for what we are about to say. So like, they just come in and say, alright, I read these lines, but how do you get these lines, because algorithmically, they already know what’s gonna happen. So, when you’re playing as Steph Curry, and you shoot a three, Oh my God, he’s Stephalicious. I’ll say something, and Kenny will say something, it’s just amazing how they do that.”
Well, with the season not very far away, fans continue to count the days before they get to see their favorite TNT cast back in action.
