Shaquille O’Neal’s height has always felt unquestionable. That certainty briefly cracked in November 2022 when his son Shareef shared a now-deleted post that sent social media into a spiral. He joked that either he was not 6 ft 10 or his father was not really 7 ft. The oldest O’Neal is gifted with his father’s height, but not the brute strength that could have possibly bought him a straight ticket to the NBA.

Shareef can stand out in a crowd, and it’s hard to miss his gigantic frame. While most people would credit his genes for his almost 7 ft frame, a lady went home with completely different information, and possibly searching for Dr. Greg on the way back home.

In a video that surfaced on X, Shareef had a hilarious exchange with a woman while livestreaming on Twitch in Miami. While he was being recorded, a woman shocked by his height approached him. But Shareef hilariously said that he had added nine more inches to his height through surgery with the help of Dr. Gregory Jordann.

“Yeah, I got the surgery in my knee to make me [taller],” Shareef told the woman. “I got the surgery in my knees. Last year I was 6’1″. I’m live streaming cause I was the first person to get the kneeBL. You know what a knee BL is? I’m 6’11 now.

The whole thing turned into pure comedy following the woman’s comments.

“Hey, wait, I need that! Wait, I’m like 4’9″.  Dr. Greg in LA, I’m gonna get tall.”

Shareef is officially listed at 6’10” by the G-League. Born with basketball genes, Shareef’s basketball career took a big hit in 2018. He had to go through open-heart surgery for a congenital heart defect.

However, Shareef continued to pursue his goal of reaching the NBA. He played for the G-League Ignite, Stockton Kings, and the Lakers in the 2022 Summer League. However, he made a big decision in 2024 that would eventually put his basketball career on hold.

Shareef reveals Shaquille O’Neal’s words that made him step away from basketball

While Shaq left an undying legacy on the basketball court, he continued to value education. It was one of the reasons that Dr. Shaquille O’Neal resumed education even after retiring from the NBA.

The Lakers legend imparted the same wisdom to his children, who were actively trying to follow their father’s footsteps. Shareef revealed that his parents wanted him and his siblings to pursue a career other than hoops.

“They always told us the family doesn’t need another basketball player,” Shareef recalled his parents’ words. “We need doctors, lawyers, and all that.”

However, Shaq never discouraged his children from pursuing basketball if it made them happy. He even famously said that Shareef was Giannis Antetokounmpo with a jump shot.

After trying through the G-League, Shareef wanted to try his luck in Australia to pursue a professional career in a game that he had long loved, and perhaps find his way to the league. However, he made a tough decision to stay back in the States after Shaq was seemingly heartbroken with his son being oceans away from him. “Australia’s far,” he told Shareef.

Soon after ditching his NBL plan, Shareef started working for his father at Reebok.

“My job for Reebok right now is kind of bringing in the culture, connecting the culture to Reebok,” he said.

The 25-year-old son of the NBA legend has since worked at Reebok, rebranded himself on social media through live streaming, but his love for the game hasn’t died. He has assured fans that he “will be hooping again.”