Shareef O’Neal is following his father’s footsteps. Sort of.
The offspring of NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal will play on his father’s former team, the Los Angeles Lakers, in this year’s NBA Summer League, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The 6-foot-10 forward went undrafted during the 2022 NBA Draft despite working out with multiple teams – including Los Angeles – and attending the G League elite prospect camp.
The younger O’Neal played at LSU, like his dad, although his time there was extremely different.
Shaq was a force for the Tigers, racking up points, boards and awards in college before going first overall in the 1992 NBA Draft. His son, though, rode the bench during his time at LSU, averaging less than 10 minutes and three points a game during his senior season.
Before transferring to his dad’s alma mater, Shareef redshirted his freshman year at UCLA due to a heart condition before leaving to Louisiana in 2020. The Lakers legend didn’t want his son to go into the 2022 NBA Draft and instead stay in school.
Shareef O’NealPhoto by Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images“He didn’t want me to do this [opt for the NBA Draft], and I know he probably doesn’t want me saying this, but sorry. We’re both grown, we’ll get past it,” the younger O’Neal said to reporters before becoming undrafted on Thursday.
“I know he’s an NBA legend, I know he’s my dad, but it was right in front of me, I had to go get it. So, if he likes it or not, it’s not really going to stop me from doing what I want to do.”
Instead of drafting Shareef, the Lakers selected Michigan State’s Max Christie with the No. 35 during this year’s draft.
Christie will have the chance to play with an O’Neal, even if it’s not Shaq, during this year’s summer league, which will begin on July 5.
