"My oldest daughter is a college grad... my oldest son is on tour with me DJing" - Shaquille O'Neal proudly gushes about his kids, says his family doesn't need another basketball player
Shaquille O'Neal has always been known as a family man. O'Neal has six children - three daughters and as many sons. In a recent appearance on The Kyle and Jackie O Show in Australia, the LA Lakers legend said that all of them are doing well, and that his family doesn't need another basketball player.
The four-time NBA champion also proudly declared that his six kids are doing what they want to in life, and there's no pressure on them to be involved in basketball.
"My oldest daughter is a college graduate," O'Neal said. "She's starting her Master's now, and she's the executive marketing director at Pepsi. My oldest son is on tour with me DJing, and he's a six-figure model. ... My second son, Shareef, played with the Lakers in the Summer League, but he's going to the G League. He wants to be in the NBA."
He added:
My youngest son under that is at TSU. My second daughter is at TSU. And my youngest daughter is in high school. ... I tell them all the time, 'We don't need another basketball player in the house. Whatever you want to do, take your time, and do it.'"
Who are Shaquille O'Neal's kids?
Shaquille O'Neal has six children. His oldest is a girl called Taahirah, who was born in 1996 to his former girlfriend, Arnetta Yardbourgh. He has four children with his ex-wife Shaunie — Shareef, Shaqir, Amirah and Me'arah. He also adopted Shaunie's eldest child, Myles, from her previous relationship.
Taahirah went to Oglethorpe University and graduated magna cum laude in 2019. Myles is a DJ and model, making his fashion show debut at the 2018 Milan Fashion Week. He walked the runway at the Dolce & Gabbana's Spring show.
Meanwhile, Shareef is trying to make it to the NBA. He recently signed a six-figure contract with G League Team Ignite. Amirah and Shaqir are college basketball players at Texas Southern University. O'Neal's youngest child, Me'arah, is in high school.
Me'arah also plays basketball and currently has offers from Howard University, Texas Christian University, UCLA and Virginia. Shaq might have discouraged his kids from having a career in basketball, but four of them could become professional players.
Why is Shaquille O'Neal in Australia?
Shaquille O'Neal is in Australia for the first time in almost two decades. The former MVP held a speaking event called "An Evening with Shaquille O’Neal" at the Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne on Thursday.
The Hall of Famer will also have a seminar on Friday at The Star Event Centre in Sydney. These events are not NBA-related, but O'Neal is open to bringing a game Down Under.
Current Australian players in the NBA include Ben Simmons, Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, Josh Giddey, Matisse Thybulle and Josh Green.