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Ex-Wife Unites With Shaquille O’Neal for His 7-Year-Old WNBA Goal That “Scared” Daughter Me’Arah

Published 04/01/2024, 12:42 PM EDT

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Me’Arah O’Neal is forging some unity in her long divorced parents. Despite emerging from her father’s shadow, Me’Arah is only living by Shaquille O’Neal’s Hall of Fame speech. Big Shaq had called his daughter as the next big thing in women’s basketball league. His ex-wife Shaunie doesn’t dispute the statement.

Me’Arah was predicted to be #1 among the greatest women’s basketball players of all time in 2016, an assertion that attracted national notice. In the following 8 years, Shaq’s daughter became an established name in basketball worldwide, despite the pressure that accompanies her status as the celebrity daughter. She has faced many odds along the way, but her path has gained attention because of Shaq’s audacious declaration.

Shaquille O’Neal’s enthusiastic hopes for his daughter

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Me’Arah entered the limelight at the age of 10 when her father gave the induction speech for the Hall of Fame. Recognized for his exuberant nature, Shaq projected his hopes and dreams onto his daughter, claiming she will lead women’s basketball in the future. Although this was a proud moment for Shaq, it also put a lot of strain on little Me’Arah, who openly shared how it felt to be singled out in such a prominent way. Responding to how she experienced at that particular time, the 17-year-old chuckled nervously, before replying, “I mean, it’s scary.”

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The SportsCenter documentary highlights Me’Arah’s love of the game and her steadfast determination to leave her imprint on the basketball community. Her biggest cheerleader in this journey happens to be Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-wife Shaunie, encouraging her daughter to reach her full potential: “I hope Me’Arah’s legacy is that she was one of the best if not the best women’s basketball player to ever play the game.”

Continuing further, Me’Arah mentioned, “I just want to be my own person, make a name for myself. I want to just be the best basketball player that I could be.”

Big Dad’s big boost: “Pressure makes diamonds

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Me’Arah considers the pressure she experienced when her father made a daring forecast. She acknowledges that being picked out by Shaquille O’Neal was both exhilarating and worrisome in an interview that is included in the documentary. Me’Arah understands the pressures of being the daughter of a basketball legend, even as she values her father’s steadfast conviction in her skills and support.

Shaquille O’Neal’s estimate raises concerns regarding the influence of peer pressure on young athletes in addition to demonstrating his unflinching faith in his daughter’s talents. Although it is normal for parents to back up and motivate their children to pursue their goals, being the youngster of a celebrity may come with a lot of attention and pressure. Me’Arah recalled, “My dad always tells me that pressure makes diamonds.”

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Her narrative serves as a reminder that every accomplished athlete has a backstory that reflects perseverance, tenacity, and the guts to leave their mark.

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Written by:

Arya Patil

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Arya is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. She skillfully combines her academic acumen with a passion for the game that she developed over years of watching the ups and downs of the NBA. Arya is a seasoned journalist who provides fans with a detailed look at the league's inner workings.
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Edited by:

Bilal Handoo