For Me’Arah O’Neal, the headlines around her are often tied to her lineage or revolve around her hardwood presence. But somewhere between these lines, her inherent identity and what she wants from her personal life, which is far from her father, “The Diesel” Shaquille O’Neal, often remains untapped. Now, the 19-year-old has shared a take on this side of her life in a candid fashion.

Speaking on Free Game- An EssentiallySports Originals with KN’isha Godfrey, O’Neal raved about the qualities she wants her partner to have so as to form a healthy relationship. “I just feel like you’ve got to be funny. Like if you’re not making me laugh (nods),” O’ Neal quickly put forward her first green flag quality. “I think God-fearing for sure, cannot forget that.”

“A presence coz you know some people don’t be having like presence. Got to have a little presence to you. I think being considerate is very important to me. Being able to reciprocate is very important to me. Like, we both got to have an aura. That’s like double aura, like I can’t have somebody that doesn’t have aura,” O’Neal further added while adding the personality traits that her partner should carry.

It’s quite clear from O’Neal’s answers that all she’s looking for in her partner are inherent qualities and not something over the moon.

As far as we’ve seen of Me’Arah O’Neal, there’s a single virtue that she doesn’t compromise on: the quality of people around her. Be it in her personal life or on the basketball court, O’Neal has often prioritized it, even in career-changing decisions such as her commitment to collegiate programs, when she chose the bond she had with Kelly Rae Finley over giants like LSU.

“Good people, good environment, everything else should be good, and it has been for me,” O’Neal has said about her decision. And her assessment in the podcast with Godfrey just adds more weight to it. After all, coming from a supportive and considerable family, O’Neal would of course have her partner to boast these qualities as well.

But on the contrary, O’Neal has also made it clear that in her relationship, she’ll be making an equal effort for her partner, and it’s not just a one-way road. “I think I’m a very genuine person. And if I’m going to get into a relationship with somebody, I have to deeply care about you,” O’Neal said. “And if I deeply care about you, then I don’t want to do anything else but uplift you.”

While Me’Arah O’Neal seems to be immensely secure and sorted out with her choices in a partner, the Florida Gators guard has also shed light on a trait that’s equally important to her.

Me’Arah O’Neal Reflects on Her Virtues of Self-Care

A partner with the perfect ideals is, of course, a decision that raises a beat for O’Neal. But around it, the Gators guard also emphasizes a responsibility towards herself and her well-being. It becomes even more relevant, especially with the pressure associated with her surname on the basketball court and in a demanding college conference where she plays.

“I say, one sleep. Sleep is a great recovery. So, sleep for sure,” O’ Neal said of her self-care go-tos via Free Game. “Music helps me to just be calm a little bit. I don’t really know how to put that into words, but music helps me to relax. Actually, brain tap, it’s a visualization like you put something in your ears, and then it covers your eyes, and it has like music and admirations, and you can visualize.”

The sleeping part, though, has been a two-edged sword for O’Neal. While it might be a routine for her to refresh herself with a sleep after a tough day on the court or in training, it has often put people on their toes. For instance, her former head coach at the Florida Gators, Kelly Rae Finley, often had to ring her up for early-morning training sessions or boardroom meetings, courtesy of O’Neal’s sleeping habits.

For now, Me’Arah O’Neal does have a bit of time to cut some slack amid this offseason. Her team, the Florida Gators, isn’t competing in any postseason tournaments, despite her strong sophomore season. The Gators guard averaged over 13 points and 6 rebounds per game in the season. Yet despite that, the Gators went 18-15 overall in the season.

All in all, with her raw assessment of her personal life, the interest in this quotient of her will only increase, but even then, at the end of the day, it will be intertwined with a perennial curiosity about how Hall of Fame Shaquille O’Neal’s daughter is faring in her basketball career.