Shaquille O’Neal aka DJ Diesel turned the NCAA Men’s Final Four Championship into a multi-platform moment, combining live music, product launch, and sports innovation in a single day. During Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, the NBA legend brought out hip-hop group ONYX to perform their iconic track “Slam,” while simultaneously celebrating his new Shaq-A-Licious SLAMS gummies in partnership with The Hershey Company.
The surprise performance took place during a live taping of O’Neal’s Big Pod podcast, where ONYX delivered a high-energy rendition of “Slam,” one of the most recognizable basketball hype songs of the 1990s. In a deliberate twist, the performance shifted mid-track to “SLAM THAT CANDY,” tying directly into the launch of Shaq-A-Licious SLAMS gummies and turning a nostalgic anthem into a live marketing moment.
O’Neal joined the group onstage, forming a mosh pit and fully leaning into the chaos of the performance. The crossover moment between hip-hop and sports culture quickly became one of the most talked-about highlights of NCAA Final Four weekend.
The activation centered around Shaq-A-Licious SLAMS gummies, a basketball-inspired candy concept developed with Hershey. The product features crunchy-coated gummy balls in watermelon, strawberry, and orange flavors paired with a sour mango ring designed to mimic a basketball hoop. Fans are encouraged to “slam” the gummies into the ring, creating an interactive snack experience tied directly to the sport.
As the official gummy partner of the NCAA Tournament, Shaq-A-Licious expanded its presence across multiple Final Four activations, including the NCAA Tip-Off Tailgate and fan engagement events throughout Indianapolis.
“I want fans to stack it, slam it and snack it with me while we watch the future of basketball battle it out,” O’Neal said of the launch.
Beyond the performance and product rollout, O’Neal used the national spotlight to introduce his next major venture. Appearing live on TNT, he announced DUNKMAN, a new professional dunk league set to launch in summer 2026.
The league will feature 24 elite dunkers competing for a $500,000 grand prize, with coverage planned across TNT, TBS, truTV, and HBO Max. The announcement positions DUNKMAN as a standalone evolution of dunk culture, moving beyond traditional NBA All-Star Weekend contests into a full-scale competitive league.
Taken together, the ONYX “Slam” performance, the launch of Shaq-A-Licious SLAMS gummies, and the reveal of DUNKMAN reflect a broader strategy. O’Neal is clearly building an ecosystem where music, sports, media, and consumer products reinforce each other in real time.
At the NCAA Final Four, all of those pieces landed at once.
Featured image credit: Peter Wallace, Wallyography
