Taahirah O'Neal shares clip of Shaquille O'Neal and Shareef O'Neal locked in intense 3AM shooting contest
Shaquille O'Neal has said on several occasions that his children all have competitive streaks. When they put their minds to something, they usually pursue it to the very end. O’Neal credits himself, the kids’ education and upbringing for that trait. Sometimes, he doesn’t mind being on the opposing end of their doggedness.
Recently, Taahirah O’Neal shared a video of her father and her half-brother Shareef O'Neal doing what they do best. At an ungodly hour, the two went after each other (via What are NBA Celebs Upto?):
Shaquille O'Neal was a poor shooter in the league. He hit a staggering 74.5% of his shots from within three feet. The farther he went away from the rim, the poorer his numbers turned out. Shaq was 41.6% from 3-10 feet and only .072 from 10-16.
O’Neal’s free-throw shooting was perhaps his biggest weakness. He made 5,935 out of 11,252 attempts (52.7%) from the 4.5-meter line. The lowest he averaged in a single season (2006-07) was with the Miami Heat when he hit a ghastly 42.2%.
The competitive streak wasn’t the only thing Shareef O'Neal inherited from his father. Like the LA Lakers legend, he is also a poor shooter beyond three feet.
The former undrafted rookie hit just 48.3% of his two-point field goals and was a career 48.0% shooter from the free throw line. He has several areas to drastically improve to even sniff a spot in the NBA.
At least for one early morning head-to-head matchup, Shaquille O'Neal and Shareef O’Neal looked like elite shooters. They nonchalantly hit baskets from farther out than they would normally attempt in a competitive game.
Shaquille O'Neal gave Shareef O'Neal advice that has become the younger O’Neal’s guiding principle
In 2018, Shareef O'Neal underwent an open-heart surgery. While he was recovering, he spent most of his time with his parents, Shaquille O'Neal and Shaunie Henderson. During one of those days with his father, the younger O’Neal revealed on the "Now for Later" podcast a life-changing advice from his father:
“Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do something.”
The advice struck the then-18-year-old college basketball player. For him, the simplicity and the truthfulness of the message have made it his guiding principle.
Many reportedly advised Shareef O'Neal to try his luck overseas or develop his game more before following Shaquille O’Neal’s footsteps in the NBA. The advice the LA Lakers legend must have been so ingrained that he still made himself eligible for the 2022 draft.
After going undrafted, he signed to play for the NBA G League Ignite. While the younger O’Neal may not be as gifted and physically superior as his father, no one can blame him for continuing to try and fulfill his dreams. He has a Hall of Fame father who has instilled an unshakable confidence in himself.