Shaquille O’Neal Recalls Kobe Bryant's Love for Video Games: ‘All He Did Was Stay Home and Play’ (Exclusive)

• Fortnite is adding two avatars inspired by Shaquille O'Neal to the game on Oct. 4
• O'Neal tells PEOPLE that he recalls his former teammate Kobe Bryant staying home to play video games when they were in the NBA
• O'Neal says he'd like to see his Inside the NBA co-hosts get avatars in the game next

Shaquille O'Neal is reflecting on memories with Kobe Bryant while making an exciting announcement.

On Thursday, Oct. 3, O'Neal, 52, and Fortnite announced that the popular video game will now include avatars inspired by the retired NBA legend and his DJ Diesel persona. Beginning Oct. 4, users can choose from two O'Neal-inspired avatars to play with from the Fortnite Shop.

Speaking to PEOPLE about his longtime dream to be featured in the game, the retired NBA legend recalls his late friend Bryant's love of gaming.

"When I first came [into the NBA], I think it was Sega and all those different games, but yeah, everybody played," O'Neal shares.

"When Kobe first came in, that's all he did was stay at home and play video games — it really is something that's been going on for a long, long time," he adds of the gaming culture in the NBA, where players often travel with their gaming consoles to away games.

"I would always play in phases, every now and then we used to have tournaments among the team, but the older I got, the more concentrated I got," O'Neal explains. "I kind of stepped away from it, but the video game/NBA culture has been combined for a long time."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

O'Neal says being involved with Fortnite is something he "always wanted to do" — especially after seeing rapper Travis Scott in the game. "I saw they were putting in different people. I remember when Travis Scott got into it, it was really big, and I kind of wanted to do the same thing and they accepted, so it's very, very exciting."

The former Laker wasn't aware that current NBA players Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James also have avatars in the game. "I haven't seen LeBron's or Giannis' skins, I actually thought I was going to be the first one," he jokes.

"Now that I'm not the first I'm upset, but I guess I can say I'm the first retired player," O'Neal compromises, adding that he'd like to see his Inside the NBA co-hosts Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson get avatars in the game next.

In addition to his DJ Diesel avatar, players can choose a Super Shaq avatar. Fortnite says they'll also add an emote of O'Neal's infamous shimmy to the game.

O'Neal's inclusion in Fortnite speaks to the retired athlete's popularity among a range of demographics, including Gen Z players who weren't born before he retired from the NBA, pedigree that he credits to being a "nice" person.

"I think my most exciting attribute is I'm very nice," O'Neal says. "If you look at the way I played on the court, I was a monster. But off the court, I think when people see me, they realize that's what they see on TV. I always try to tell people, image is reality."

He adds, "I try not to sell myself as a perfect person, but as a person that is just like you. So I'm very nice and very respectful. I'm likable. I market myself as myself, and I think that's why I'm still around."