WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Four-time NBA champion and TV personality Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal is making an appearance in Wichita at Hoops 4 Literacy, a charity basketball game to support early literacy for Kansas children.

Hoops 4 Literacy is part of a three-day Kansas Literacy Festival presented by Storytime Village, LLC that runs from Sept. 8-10. The game is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 10, at Charles Koch Arena, 1845 N. Fairmount, and begins at 7 p.m.

Storytime Village is a Kansas-based nonprofit with a mission to inspire a lifelong love of reading for underserved Kansas children from birth to 8 years old. It held a news conference Monday inside Charles Koch Arena and played a taped announcement from Shaq:

“Hello, Wichita, Kansas. It’s Shaquille O’Neal. I’ll be joining Storytime Village in the Kansas Literacy Festival. Join me at Hoops 4 Literacy on Sept. 10. I know how important it is for kids to read, so let’s support literacy together at Hoops 4 Literacy. I’ll see you soon, Wichita. Love ya, bye-bye.”

Tickets for Hoops 4 Literacy are on sale now.

Prisca Barnes, founder and CEO of Storytime Village, said Shaq is much more than a basketball star and celebrity.

“Shaq is also the author of children’s books, and he will attend Hoops 4 Literacy to promote the importance of children’s literacy and meet community members,” she said.

Storytime Village partnered with Buckner, Brooks and Heights Entertainment, led by Phyllis Johnson, to bring O’Neal to Wichita.

“We partner with nonprofits that empower both women and children to strengthen the community,” Johnson said. “While our company is based in Memphis, I am a native Wichitan, and it is an honor to be part of such a great event in my hometown.”

She said Shaq would likely not play because of his bad knees, but he will be a big part of the event. She said they are inviting former Shocker stars also to join them.

Johnson said they donated to The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation to get the star to come to Wichita.

“He’s excited,” she said. “He’s excited about coming and being a part of this. He just, you know, he loves kids. He’s a big kid himself.”