"Because of some of the medical conditions that he’s had to deal with" - 3x NBA champ and Lakers great comes out in support of Shaquille O'Neal's son, Shareef
NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal's son Shareef O'Neal played for the LA Lakers in the Las Vegas Summer League. He put up decent numbers and many are speculating whether he will make the regular-season roster with LeBron James. If he does, James will have played with both the legendary Shaquille O'Neal and his son.
Shareef O'Neal signed with the NBA G League Ignite on Monday, according to NBA insider Shams Charania.
After playing for the Lakers in Summer League, Shareef O’Neal – the son of Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal – is signing a six-figure contract with the NBA G League Ignite, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
Bryon Scott, a Lakers great and three-time champion, critiqued the 22-year-old's performances, calling him talented. As reported by TMZ Sports, he said:
"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 little things he has to tweak."
Shareef O’Neal creating his own shot off the bounce 😤 https://t.co/mJqCcxhyIt
Scott talked about how Shareef O'Neal does not look ready, but his critics shouldn't hold it against him because of his medical history. O'Neal underwent heart surgery in December 2018 while at UCLA and then suffered a foot injury after transferring to his father's alma mater, Lousiana State University. Scott added:
"You should take that into consideration. The fact that he’s not where everybody thinks he should be at this particular point is because of some of the medical conditions that he’s had to deal with. And he’s still young. Give 'em a chance!"
UCLA freshman Shareef O'Neal will undergo heart surgery causing him to sit out the 2018-19 season. es.pn/2xWqhpW https://t.co/zs793ZwacY
Byron Scott says Scotty Pippen Jr. is already better than Shaquille O'Neal's son
Shareef O'Neal and Scotty Pippen Jr. have been have been linked together this offseason. That's mainly because they are the sons of NBA legends and Hall of Famers and both signed with the Purple and Gold during the Summer League.
However, Byron Scott believes Scottie Pippen's son is better than Shaquille O'Neal's, and it is because the former had a long college career. He added:
"Scotty Pippen Jr. looked really good. Again, it goes back to showing you four years of school compared to a guy that just went a year or whatever the case may be is a big difference. Scotty is NBA-ready."
Former Lakers HC Byron Scott Discusses Shareef O'Neal, Scotty Pippen Jr.'s NBA Future dlvr.it/SVTq53 https://t.co/iWFM5BJxCl
Unlike O'Neal, whose career was derailed due to medical conditions, Scotty Pippen Jr. had a three-year run at Vanderbilt. He averaged 20.6 points, 4.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game during his sophomore and junior years with the Commodores.
Shareef O'Neal, on the other hand, averaged 2.8 points and 3.1 rebounds during his last two years at LSU.
Hence, Scott believes Pippen is more experienced and skilled than O'Neal, who still needs to polish his game.