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“This Has To Be Exciting for the O’Neal Family!”: Fans Rejoice As Six Figure Deal Ensures Proud Father Shaquille O’Neal Could Still See His Son In The NBA Some Day

Published 07/26/2022, 8:00 AM EDT

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Shaquille O’Neal has had a formidable career in the NBA. His son, Shareef, also wants to have the same as he has signed a six-figure contract with the NBA G-League Ignite. The Atletic’s Shams Charania reported this yesterday after much speculation about where he would land up.

The young player played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the Summer League and had a solid season with them. He averaged 4.8 points,3.8 rebounds, and 0.3 blocks per game. His heart surgery had set him back, but he was determined to bring back his career on the right path. Shareef’s playing days at UCLA and LSU initially showed some promise, but he couldn’t live up to his potential.

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Charania stated on Twitter that recruiters were impressed by his athleticism and pedigree. He has also reported that Shareef O’Neal has been working out with Justin Zormelo so that he can continue his prospects as a pro.

His father, Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, advised him not to pursue the draft this year. But Shareef decided to test the waters anyway. He proved his father right as he remained undrafted by any team. Shareef signed a Summer League contract with the Lakers.

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He was a four-star prospect in 2018 during his high school playing days. He has appeared 13 times for UCLA and appeared a combined 24 times for Louisiana State. The player had also had to suffer many injuries during his time at LSU including a stress fracture. His stats don’t look all too well as he averages 2.6 points and 3 rebounds per game in college.

These are some of the fan reactions:

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Shaquille O’Neal was a valued prospect during his college days

Unlike his son, Shaquille O’Neal was rated very highly. He was the tall giant scouted by every NBA team. His athleticism and size made him a no.1 prospect in the eye of many team scouts. He declared himself available for the 1992 NBA Draft. It was known that whoever was no. 1 will select O’Neal.

Luckily, Orlando Magic emerged and had the first pick. They selected O’Neal. No one knew what a phenom he will turn out to be. In his rookie season, he averaged 23.4 points and almost 14 rebounds per season. He is now a 4 time NBA Champion, 3-time Finals MVP, one-time Regular season MVP, and a 15-time All-Star.

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Shareef may never be the player Shaq was, but he wants to play in the NBA, as this might take him far in his career.

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Written by:

Aditya Kar

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Aditya Kar is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports. A holder of Bachelors and Masters degrees in History, he has been a fan of the NBA since 2011. He has a very keen interest in the stories that define the league and the sport.
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Edited by:

Sreeda U M