$812,000 NIL-valued Shaqir O'Neal backs sister Me'Arah O'Neal as Gators guard joins McDonald's All-American team
NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal's kids, Me'Arah O'Neal, Shareef O'Neal of the G-League Ignite and Shaqir O'Neal of Texas Southern are all charting different paths into professional basketball.
Me'Arah, a Florida Gators signee, is considered the No. 33 prospect in the 2024 class, according to ESPN, and she showed how highly she is rated as she was recently named a 2024 McDonald’s All-American.
Her older brother, Texas Southern Tigers guard Shaqir O'Neal, reposted a picture of his sister's nomination on his Instagram stories.
Shaquille O'Neal's big prediction about Me'Arah O'Neal
Me'Arah O'Neal has had big expectations foisted upon her since a young age due to her father's incredible legacy. She was recruited by all of the elite programs in the country but chose to join the Florida Gators.
Shane Laflin, ESPN's director of recruiting analysis had a succinct grading of O'Neal.
"The word 'elite' is a little overused," Laflin said. "But if you're talking elite, she's elite. There's no question."
During his speech for the Naismith Hall of Fame induction in 2016, Shaquille O'Neal made a casual, but massive, prediction about his then-10-year-old daughter.
"My youngest baby, Me'Arah. Stand up, baby," Shaq said. "I don't like to put pressure on my babies, but she works out with my sons, and I think it's fair to say one day if she continues, Me'Arah will probably be the best women's basketball player ever. She's that good.
"I like to think I can see the future. You got a little baby doing that and looking like that. And I only dream positive thoughts. If you're in the house and her form is perfect, and she's not beating her bigger brother and sister but hanging with 'em at a young age, like, oh, you just know."
During an interview with ESPN, Me'Arah O'Neal talked about how she deals with all the expectations regarding her style of play and her father's legacy.
"I'm pretty sure a lotta people expect me to play just like my dad," Me'Arah O'Neal says. "Strong, big post player, runnin' through people, what Shaq does. But I'm not that.
"The biggest expectation is to turn out like my dad. But fulfilling that name, that's not really my goal. ... I just wanna be my own person and make a name for myself. And I think I'm doing that pretty well."
Now that Me'Aarah ONeal has made it onto the McDonald’s All-American team, it seems as if Shaquille O'Neal's prediction about his daughter's future isn't far-fetched.