Not even the biggest name in basketball is immune to a clever trick. When Shaquille O’Neal’s kids pulled off a viral TikTok stunt, the Big Aristotle nearly lost his cool, revealing a side of the Hall of Famer you rarely see outside the arena.  Big Diesel looked visibly upset when the prank landed. It was proof that some pranks can humble even the greatest!

Shaquille O’Neal has long insisted that his children learn life lessons early. He still enforces several rules on them. Some are just for fun, while others are meant to teach crucial life lessons. One such rule is that he won’t give his kids a single penny unless they become independent and earn it themselves. So, their latest prank nearly had him fuming.

A new trend is making rounds on TikTok, which is the “Look at me when I’m talking to you” prank. The prank features participants filming someone (often a parent or friend) being told, “Look at me when I’m talking to you,” using a snappy audio clip that flips between stern command and abrupt silence.  The O’Neal kids decided it would be fun to try it on their father. O’Neal’s eldest, Taahirah, recently shared how the prank almost backfired. She posted a clip where Shaqir walks into Shaq’s room and boldly says, “Look at me when I’m talking to you, boy!”

The prank certainly got Big Aristotle’s attention. He was watching TV when he heard the statement from his youngest son. At first, he looked confused. As Shaqir repeated his words, DJ Diesel suddenly swung the remote in the air at Shaqir as the kids ran out of the room laughing. Although Shaq often embraces lighthearted gags, this TikTok stunt clearly crossed a line for him.

Lately, more and more NBA parents are getting fooled by the new TikTok trends. Either keep up with them or become the victim, often at the hands of their Gen Z kids or nephews. Just a few weeks ago, Scottie Pippen became the target of his daughter Sophia’s prank, on the “Just give me my money” trend! Even the great Shaq couldn’t escape these pranks.

Now, don’t make the mistake of assuming O’Neal’s exaggerated reaction wasn’t a joke. How?

Why is Shaquille O’Neal’s reaction odd?

Well, O’Neal himself has shared a few clips in the past that make his recent reaction a bit questionable. So, this isn’t the only prank the kids have pulled on Shaq. There have been many more odd and bizarre pranks, or possibly scripted ones, which are shared by O’Neal himself on his Instagram.

In April 2020, Shaq shared a throwback video of toddler Myles O’Neal coaxing his younger brother to fill a cup with toilet water while saying, “My daddy always needs something to drink, drink this.” Unaware, Shaq quaffed the foul brew, instantly spat it out, and gave chase—yet his hearty laugh afterward revealed a willingness to play along. Hilarious, but it’s likely scripted.

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He shared another clip where a young Shareef swung his board at Shaq while he was sleeping. However, the Big Aristotle, still half-asleep, didn’t seem bothered at all. Sponatenous or almost sitcom-like? On his son Myles’s TikTok, Shaq shows off “incognito” shades—only to have Myles quip that the glasses don’t hide his “big old nose”—a planned punchline that played out like stand-up material.

Yes, the pranks are likely scripted. But is that such a bad thing? In a world where we could all use some laughs, especially one that gets both the parents and children involved, scripted family-friendly pranks might not be the end of the world. The only question that remains is, what’s the next gag?