Shaquille O'Neal's storied basketball career began in Texas when the 7-foot-1 star manned the paint for Cole High School in San Antonio. More than 30 years, four NBA titles and a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement later, the 50-year-old O'Neal, famously known as "Shaq," is returning to the Lone Star State with his fast-casual restaurant brand, “Big Chicken.”

According to a report from Austin NBC affiliate KXAN, O'Neal plans to open a branch at the Texas state capital's new Moody Center on the University of Texas campus. The location will purportedly open for business this month, the station reported.

It's been about four years since O'Neal opened the first Big Chicken franchise in Las Vegas, according to Nation's Restaurant News. 

O'Neal, who played in the NBA for 19 seasons after the Orlando Magic first took him out of LSU in 1992, told the media outlet that his eatery is franchising in the traditional sense.

“We’re about to expand quickly, swiftly and correctly,” he said, according to Nation's Restaurant News.

According to KXAN, Texas will be home to 50 Big Chicken franchises. 

Aside from Austin, the brand will expand to Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, where the former center spent his adolescence when his father was stationed at Fort Sam Houston.

Among the items on the menu are the "Uncle Jerome," a tribute to O'Neal's uncle, and the "Charles Barkley," named after his partner on TNT's "Inside the NBA," KXAN reported.

Big Chicken CEO told Nation's Restaurant News that O'Neal's popularity contributes to the franchise's success. 

“People come to Big Chicken because they want to be attached to Shaquille O'Neal, who is one of the most popular celebrities in the world with over 20 million social media followers and what not,” Josh Halpern, the CEO of Big Chicken, told the website. "But they keep coming back because the quality of the food is really, really great.” 

According to Pro Basketball Reference, O'Neal averaged nearly 24 points and over 10 rebounds through 1,207 games.

He played for the Magic, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Miami Heat, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Phoenix Suns and the Boston Celtics.

O'Neal won three consecutive NBA championships with the Lakers while paired up with the late Kobe Bryant and another title with the Heat.