Shaquille O'Neal is no stranger to business ventures that are at the intersection of basketball and food. Be it through his Big Chicken brand, which has secured a presence in the NBA via its concession stands, or now with his personalized candy line, Shaq-A-Licious SLAMS, which is an official partner of the NCAA league.

A recent press release announcing the partnership stated that new hoops-inspired candy will be a part of the Final Four weekend as the official gummy partner.

Speaking about the collaboration, Shaquille O'Neal said, "I am thrilled to bring Big Pod and my Shaq-A-Licious gummies to Final Four weekend. It's a perfect combination of all the things I love, basketball, sweets and bringing people together."

"SLAMS is about having fun. I want fans to stack it, slam it and snack it with me while we watch the future of basketball battle it out on the court," he added.

The Hershey-produced Shaq-A-Licious SLAMS gummy line is very much rooted in basketball culture. Each bag has gummy balls with a crunchy coating in watermelon, strawberry, and orange flavors, along with a chewy sour mango hoop. The hoop is designed to mimic basketball, encouraging consumers to dunk the gummy balls into it "for their own sweet victory."

That being said, the press release also revealed what fans could expect to see from Shaq-A-Licious SLAMS during the Final Four Weekend.

The Partnership Includes a Live Podcast Taping with Shaquille O'Neal

The press release by Hershey laid out the three-pronged plan that the Shaq-A-Licious brand come up with.

On April 2, the Shaq-A-Licious truck will stop at the Walmart Supercenter in Greenwood, Indiana, where a group of pre-selected military families will embark on a $500 shopping spree, funded by The Hershey Company.

NABC College All-Star athletes will shop alongside those families, adding to the occasion.

The truck will then head to Georgia Street in Indianapolis for the NCAA Tip-Off Tailgate, running from April 3 through 6. Fans can expect free gummy samples, giveaways, and an interactive candy-themed experience built around the imagery of a slam dunk.

Shaquille O'Neal will close out the week by recording a live episode of his podcast, Big Pod, on April 6, with the Final Four serving as the backdrop. The taping is designed to put fans at the center of college basketball's marquee weekend.

Are you looking forward to seeing Shaq at the Final Four? Let us know!

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Arvind Rao