Shaquille O'Neal shut down MrBeast after the YouTube star claimed he could eclipse the NBA legend's most expensive Walmart purchase.
The NBA legend has a net worth of $500 million as of 2024, according to numerous sources, accumulated largely during his time in professional basketball.
But he has also accrued huge amounts through endorsements and sponsorships, as well as his long-running role as a pundit on the 'Inside The NBA' show, broadcast by TNT.
Advert
The 52-year-old has, therefore, made plenty of extravagant purchases throughout his life.
That almost included a collection of purchases at Walmart that would have totalled a staggering $70,000.
In 2008, he was signed by the Phoenix Suns in that year's NBA Draft, but found that his new apartment in Arizona was missing a number of essentials.
O'Neal travelled to Walmart the next day, and explained to James Corden on 'The Late, Late Show' in 2018 about how his credit card got declined.
Advert
He said: "I'm the type of guy, I have no patience. So when I get to Phoenix, they have an apartment for me. Nothing's in it.
"Two or three in the morning, I gotta get four or five TV's, printers, I gotta go get laptops. I gotta go get sheets, towels, underwear, T-shirts.
"At the end it was $70,000 so I put my credit card in, and it got declined. So I pulled it out.
"The American Express security called me: 'Hey man, somebody stole your credit card and they've spent $70,000 at Walmart'.
Advert
"I said, 'No that was me'. [Security replied] 'What the hell are you buying for $70,000?'"
Now, YouTube star MrBeast - who, at 354 million, has the most-subscribed channel on the video-sharing platform as of February 2025 - has claimed he could beat Shaq's record purchase at the American department store.
The Wichita-born star - real name Jimmy Donaldson - claimed during a guest appearance on O'Neal's 'The Big Podcast' that he was planning a video where he would walk into a Walmart and buy everything in the store.
Advert
But O'Neal immediately stated that Walmart staff would not allow that to happen.
However, Donaldson came up with another idea.
He said: "I know [they won't let me], that's the only reason I haven't.
"But we're trying to find a Walmart that's trying to close down or whatever."
Advert
He added: "What they don't want is, while they're restocking shelves, for someone to come in there and then it's not there. It's not a good look for them, because if you buy everything, all the shelves will be empty.
"So we're trying to pull it off this year. Imagine I just walk into Walmart, and I pull up with 30 18-wheelers and buy everything on the shelf.
"The bill might be $7 million or something ridiculous, and then I donate it all to charity."
Topics: Shaquille ONeal, NBA, Basketball, United States
Ryan Smart