Being Shaquille O’Neal’s son guarantees you get plenty of attention and offers growing up. So, Shareef O’Neal looked poised to follow in his father’s footsteps and make it to the NBA at some point in his life.
Once considered a top-50 prospect, Shareef’s career took a significant bump when he had to undergo heart surgery and sit out his entire freshman year at UCLA. He later transferred to LSU but suffered multiple foot injuries, all but hampering his development even further.
Even so, the 22-year-old declared for the NBA Draft, but to no avail. He then tried to showcase his talents with the Lakers’ Summer League teambut he barely played at all. Now, he’s signed with the G-League Ignite hoping, to one day fulfill his NBA dream.
Byron Scott Says Shareef O’Neal Wasn’t Ready For The NBA
O’Neal missed plenty of time in college and it showed when he was on the hardwood. That’s why Byron Scott, a Lakers legend and one of his old man’s teammates, wasn’t surprised to see him miss the cut:
(Transcript via Fadeaway World)
“I think he looked a little bit out of place. He wasn’t ready. I think he still has a little ways to go. I think the talent is there. Obviously, the athleticism is there. It’s just some other things he has to kind of tweak.”
When asked if he felt Shareef could still bounce back from that heart surgery, Scott stated, “I think it is possible and when you’re talking about surgery to the heart, that’s a big deal. That’s not something you’re gonna come back within a year and be your old self again and he probably has questions about his physical being, especially his heart. I think that’s unfair if people are criticizing that, that’s really unfair… and he’s still young so give him a chance.”
Shaq Didn’t Want His Son To Enter The NBA Draft
It’s not a secret that Shaq didn’t want Shareef to go through the process right now. TheBig Dieselthought his son wasn’t ready to make the league at this point, yet Shareef was eager to prove everybody wrong:
“He wanted me to stay in school. I wanted to better myself through this,” Shareef said.“It sucks that he didn’t like that idea, but I’m a grown man, I’m 22 years old, I can make my own decisions. It was right in front of my face. I’m not backing up from it. I’m going to go get it if I see it.That’s just how I’m built. I take everything the same way. I took my heart surgery the same way. Being cleared was right in front of me, being healthy was right in front of me, and I went for it.”
Shareef has been through a lot, health-wise, and he’s bounced back every time. He may never be as good as his father, but he’s still young and has plenty of time to make the league somewhere down the line.
