Shareef O'Neal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shareef O'Neal

O'Neal at the Drew League in 2019
Free agent
Power forward / center
Personal information
Born	(2000-01-11) January 11, 2000 (age 25) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
High school	Windward School (Los Angeles, California) Crossroads School (Santa Monica, California)
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College	UCLA (2018–2020) LSU (2020–2022)
NBA Draft	2022 / Undrafted
Pro career	2022–present
Career history
2022–2023	NBA G League Ignite
Career highlights and awards
NBA G League Next Up Game (2023) Jordan Brand Classic (2018)

Shareef Rashaun O'Neal (born January 11, 2000) is an American professional basketball player. He last played for the NBA G League Ignite. Shareef is the son of famous basketball player Shaquille O'Neal. He went to Crossroads School in Santa Monica, California. As a senior, he was one of the best high school basketball players.

Shareef had heart surgery during his first year of college basketball at UCLA. He played as a backup for UCLA in 2019–20. Later, he moved to the LSU Tigers team.

Off the court, Shareef helps Reebok find athletes for sponsorship deals. His father, Shaquille O'Neal, is the President of the company.

Growing Up and Finding Basketball

Shareef O'Neal was born in Los Angeles. His parents are former National Basketball Association (NBA) player Shaquille O'Neal and Shaunie O'Neal. Shareef has two older half-siblings and three younger siblings.

Even though his dad was a basketball star, Shareef didn't love basketball at first. He liked skateboarding more. His interest in basketball grew after a tough game in middle school. He wanted to "prove everybody wrong" on the court. When he was 13, Shareef started training a lot. He soon became good enough to dunk the ball.

High School Basketball Journey

Shareef started playing basketball for Windward School in Los Angeles. He played as a forward. Videos of his best plays quickly became popular online. They even appeared in The Washington Post.

In his first year, Shareef didn't play much. The team's older players got most of the game time. His coach saw it as a "learning year" for him. Shareef averaged 3.7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game that season. In May 2015, he got his first scholarship offer from USC. Soon after, he received offers from other big schools like Baylor and LSU.

Shareef stayed at Windward for his second year and improved a lot. In October 2015, he scored 23 points in a game against Bishop Alemany High School. Scouts started noticing him in December. He became known as a versatile player. This means he could handle the ball, shoot, and play defense well.

On June 29, 2016, Shareef moved to Crossroads School. He was expected to be a key player there. On January 6, 2017, he scored 15 points in a win against Brentwood. Later, he scored 20 points in a game against Bol Bol, another famous player's son.

Choosing a College Team

O'Neal with Crossroads School in 2017

In April 2017, Shareef decided to play college basketball for Arizona. But on February 24, 2018, he changed his mind. This happened after ESPN reported that Arizona's coach was involved in a scandal. Shareef had not signed a final agreement, so he was free to choose a new school.

He then decided to join UCLA on February 27. He officially signed with the UCLA Bruins in August 2018.

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
Shareef O'Neal PF	Los Angeles, CA	Crossroads School (CA)	6 ft 9.5 in (2.07 m)	210 lb (95 kg)	Feb 27, 2018
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 89
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 40  247Sports: 52  ESPN: 32
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources:

College Basketball Years

Playing for UCLA (2018–2020)

Shareef started having health problems during summer practices. Doctors gave him a heart monitor to wear. On September 28, 2018, UCLA announced he would miss the 2018–19 season. He was diagnosed with a heart condition and had surgery in December.

After his surgery, he played in the Drew League and in UCLA's practice games. He wore a special device during practice to monitor his heart.

In April 2019, UCLA hired a new coach, Mick Cronin. Shareef played his first game for UCLA in the 2019–20 season opener. He played six minutes but did not score. On December 14, 2019, he had his best game of the season. He scored eight points and grabbed 11 rebounds against Notre Dame.

On January 22, 2020, Shareef announced he was leaving UCLA. He had played as a backup, averaging 2.2 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.

Playing for LSU (2020–2022)

On February 14, 2020, Shareef decided to transfer to Louisiana State University. This is where his father also played college basketball. Shareef had a foot injury that kept him from playing the first few games of the 2020–21 season. He only played in 10 games that season.

He also missed the first 12 games of the 2021–22 season while recovering from his foot injury. He played in 14 games, averaging 2.9 points and 2.1 rebounds. After this season, he decided to leave LSU. On June 6, 2022, Shareef declared for the NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Career

NBA G League Ignite (2022–2023)

Shareef was not chosen in the 2022 NBA draft. However, he joined the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2022 NBA Summer League. On September 28, 2022, he signed with the NBA G League Ignite. He was named to the G League's first-ever Next Up Game for the 2022–23 season.

On October 18, 2024, Shareef signed with the Sacramento Kings. He was waived (released) the very next day. On October 27, he joined the Stockton Kings, but was waived again on November 7, 2024.

Career Statistics

College

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2018–19	UCLA	Medical Redshirt
2019–20	UCLA	13	0	10.2	.321	.333	.474	2.9	.2	.3	.2	2.2
2020–21	LSU	10	0	14.5	.375	.182	.500	4.4	.0	.5	.5	2.8
2021–22	LSU	14	0	9.2	.500	.143	.467	2.1	.1	.1	.4	2.9
Career		37	0	11.0	.405	.208	.480	3.0	.1	.3	.4	2.6

See also

In Spanish: Shareef O'Neal para niños