When Shaquille O’Neal was 25 years old, he already had ROTY and a couple of All-Star nods in his resume. Meanwhile, his son, Shareef, is yet to make his debut in the NBA. This does not imply that the Lakers legend’s son is not putting in efforts. But sometimes certain conditions are up to fate, and that’s what happened with the young superstar. A heart surgery derailed his development plans to turn pro. But that dream is still not completely out the window.

Shareef underwent open-heart surgery to treat an anomalous coronary artery diagnosis in 2018. His NBA dream was close as he got the opportunity with a brief Exhibit 10 deal with the Sacramento Kings. But they waived him soon after. But in order to continue his hooping dreams, he got a lifeline from a man who had to deal with his own heart issues. Damar Hamlin survived on January 2, 2023, as he suffered cardiac arrest on the field. The diagnosis? Commotio cordis, a rare and often fatal condition triggered by a precise impact at a vulnerable moment in the cardiac cycle.

Last year, he made a miraculous return and played for the Bills. This time, his impact has been more than his contributions on the field. He became a national face for CPR education and AED access, testifying before Congress and launching initiatives through his Chasing M’s Foundation. In partnership with that foundation, this past weekend was a celebrity basketball game at Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh.

The McKees Rocks native brought his All-Star Weekend back to his hometown. The American Heart Association also provided CPR training on-site. The game challenges athletes, celebrities, and entertainers against one another, including such current and former NFL standouts as Aaron Donald, Stefon Diggs, Tyreek Hill, Dez Bryant, Keon Coleman, and Terrell Edmunds. This year, even Shaquille O’Neal’s son was part of the charity weekend.

It not only signifies that Shareef is ready to put himself out there, but he is also seriously looking for opportunities to make a comeback. In the latest docuseries, Power Moves with Shaquille O’Neal, Shareef shared his conundrum. As Shaq asked for his son’s help, despite the 25YO wanting to pursue basketball. “Got you. This is kind of a weird time for me to help my dad because I’m also trying to get into the NBA.”

Reasoning behind Shaquille O’Neal’s hesitation with his son’s career

It’s not that the 4x NBA champion ever doubts his children. But the circumstances had the time played out in a manner that led to Shareef focusing on Reebok. First, the Big Aristotle became the president of Reebok’s basketball operations role in October 2023. In order to rebuild the brand, he needed the help of his son in designing and recruiting the young stars. The second reason was because of the heart issues that Shareef had faced.

At the time, Shareef had the opportunity to play in the Australian league. But the 4x NBA icon and his ex-wife Shaunie weren’t on board with his son’s move 7,500 miles away from home. The fear of the surgery and not being there for their son if anything ever happens again, made them choose this for their son. But as stated earlier, Shaquille O’Neal’s son is not giving up.

After being successful with the Reebok Engine A launch, the 25YO wants to turn his attention to basketball. He did an interview with a Miami-based content creator and spoke about his yet unfulfilled dream. “Yes, my dream is to make it to the NBA, and that’s the only dream I really have right now.” So, the former G-League star is not closing the door on his dreams!