Shaquille O’Neal says daughter Me’arah is the best athlete in the family: ‘I damn near cry watching her’
Me’arah O’Neal is emerging as a star for the Florida Gators-and her proud dad isn’t hiding it.
Shaquille O’Neal calls daughter Me’arah his most talented basketball child.
The next generation of basketball stars is rising fast. As the children of LeBron James and Scottie Pippen make headlines on and off the court, Shaquille O’Neal is spotlighting a standout talent of his own: his daughter, Me’arah O’Neal.
Of the former Lakers legend’s six children, four have pursued college basketball with varying results. Shareef suited up for UCLA and LSU, then made a run at the NBA G League but is currently not on a professional roster.
His daughter Amirah started at LSU before transferring to Texas Southern. Shaqir also played at Texas Southern before moving to Florida A&M. And now Me’arah is making her debut at the University of Florida-and Shaq couldn’t be more thrilled.
Me’arah O’Neal: The breakout star
On a recent episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, the four-time NBA champion shared his emotional pride. “She’s the best one,” he told former Memphis Grizzlies star Zach Randolph.
O’Neal admitted he struggles to stay composed watching her play. “Shareef is good, Shaqir is good. But when I go to watch her play, I damn near cry. I have to keep my composure. She’s really freaking good.”
Me’arah has quickly earned her place with the Gators. In her debut against Florida Atlantic, she posted seven points, five rebounds, and two blocks. Against Hofstra, she notched her first double-double with 14 points and 10 boards. Then came her breakout performance against Arkansas, where she led Florida with a career-high 19 points.
How Shaq used reverse psychology
Her rise, Shaq says, was no accident. From a young age, he used classic dad tactics to push her forward. “When my daughter was little-she’s a beautiful girl-I’d say, ‘No, you can’t play,'” he recalled.
That reverse psychology lit a fire. “She used to get so mad, and then I’d help calm her down by saying, ‘All right, go ahead, dribble.'” The strategy paid off: Me’arah stayed motivated and focused, and is now carving out a promising path in college basketball.
