"He can’t be playing off the damn O’Neal name" - 7x NBA champion offers a damning critique of Shaquille O'Neal's son Shareef
Former LA Lakers superstar Shaquille O'Neal and his son Shareef O'Neal made the airwaves over the summer. The son of the four-time champion participated for the Lakers in the summer league. While Shareef's performance didn't stand out, he certainly made strides towards becoming an NBA player.
However, Shaq's former teammate Robert Horry believes that Shareef O'Neal isn't cut out for the NBA. The seven-time NBA champion spoke about how Diesel's son doesn't have the grit and mentality to make it into the league. In an episode of "Big Shot Bob," Horry spoke about what he learned from Shareef's performances.
"I picked up my phone, and I was getting ready to call Shaq like ‘Yo man, you gotta tell your son … he can’t be playing off the damn O’Neal name. He gotta go out there and play.’ You gotta put forth some more effort man," Horry said.
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Shareef O'Neal, like his father, played collegiately at Louisiana State University after transferring from UCLA. He had to undergo heart surgery. Before his medical scare, many regarded him as one of his class's best high school basketball players. Shareef is nearly 7 feet tall and has undoubtedly acquired some genetic traits from his dad.
Shaquille O'Neal was a two-time All-American and a two-time SEC Player of the Year during his years with the university. These are big shoes to fill for Shareef O'Neal. Shaq also has a huge 900-pound bronze statue erected in front of the LSU Basketball Practice Facility.
The son of a four-time champion, Shareef represented the Lakers during the 2022 Summer League, where he averaged 4 points per game. His play resulted in him getting a contract from the Ignite, a G-League team.
Shareef O'Neal — the son of Shaquille O'Neal — will play for the G League Ignite next season, sources tell @ShamsCharania.
O'Neal overcame open-heart surgery in 2018 and foot injuries in 2020 and 2021 to secure a six-figure professional contract.
theathletic.com/news/shareef-o… https://t.co/ZyKWy0Qajn
Shaquille O'Neal's time with the Miami Heat
Not only is Shaquille O'Neal a Los Angeles Lakers legend, but he is also a legend in Miami. He helped deliver the Miami Heat organization their first ever NBA championship alongside Dwyane Wade and coach Pat Riley.
After having a falling out with the Lakers and Kobe Bryant, the Miami Heat decided to trade for the most dominant player in the history of the league. At 32 years of age, Shaq was no longer as dominant as he was in his prime. But he was still a formidable player who could deliver success if surrounded by the right players.
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In his second season with Miami, Shaquille O'Neal played second fiddle to Dwyane Wade, leading the Heat to their first ever championship. They accomplished this victory despite being the underdogs against the Dallas Mavericks, led by Dirk Nowitzki. O'Neal averaged 20 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game that season and almost 19 points in the playoffs.
While age was catching up to Shaq, his time with the Miami Heat is looked back upon with fond memories of winning his fourth and final championship.