Me’Arah O’Neal was born to the Hall of the Fame basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal and ex-wife Shaunie O’Neal. The 17-year-old is the youngest among the six O’Neal siblings has three elder brothers Myles, Shareef, and Shaquir and two older sisters Taahirah and Amirah. She was born in Miami, Florida and went to school in Santa Monica, California.
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In an Interview for Kentucky Sports Me’Arah emphasized the role of her father and brothers in shaping her up and her ability to handle pressure. The Nike Nationals this year was a packed event filled with notable personalities and NBA legends, all trying to catch a glimpse of Me’Arah O’Neal and her teammates for recruitment purposes. However, their presence did not seem to intimidate the O’Neal blood.
At a post-game interview, Me’Arah reflected on her mindest recalling her father’s mantra, “My dad tells me, Pressure makes Diamonds.” She recollects that pressure and expectations have always followed her being Shaq’s daughter but she remains unfazed. Acknowledging assumptions people have about her playing style she says, “I am sure a lotta people expect me to play like my Dad.”
In Conversation with ESPN, the 17-year-old expressed her desire to be her person and she thinks she is doing that pretty well. Back in 2016 at the Naismith Hall of Fame induction speech when Me’Arah was just 10, Shaquille expressed his belief and stated confidently that Me’Arah will be the greatest woman basketball player ever. Shaunie, her mom, echoed the belief that she is the most gifted one among the siblings.
It doesn’t look like Me’Arah wants to be like her dad. Looking at the discipline and ethics we can say youngest O’Neal is on the same path as her Dad but she sure wants to make a name of her own, carving her own.
Where is Me’Arah O’Neal now?
Recently, Me’Arah signed the national letter of intent with Florida Gators, ditching her father’s alma mater LSU. Previously, in a post-match interview, she had expressed how she wanted to choose her team emphasizing on importance of relationships for her. Looks like Young O’Neal has made a choice of the school that is invested in her potentially successful career.
Shaquille was present when Me’Arah chose to sign the letter for Florida Gators and he looked far from bitter when his daughter chose to sign his Alma Mater’s rival team. He looked like a proud dad who could see his prediction from Naismith Hall reaching its fate. She’s going to debut with the Gators alongside the highest-ranked recruit in the program’s history, Alivia McGill.
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The Gators Girl shared her journey of choosing Florida, and the connection she felt with the school and coach Kelly when she went to Florida gave her a sense of belongingness. She also clears how her father’s connection to his Alma Mater never dictated any of her choices, it was a conscious decision made independently.
It is clear that Me’Arah wants to choose her path and goes on to acknowledge the pressure she put on herself but her family helped her through all of it. The NO.1 program from LSU did not attract her and following her father’s advice she chose where she was needed, not where she was wanted. Looks like the Florida Gators have collected a ‘Diamond‘ for themselves.