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Another O’Neal is the real deal

Fred Jeter | 6/8/2023, 6 p.m.
O’Neal is a famous name in basketball. Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal ranks among the all-time NBA standouts. Now it’s Me’Arah’s turn …
Me’Arah O’Neal

O’Neal is a famous name in basketball. Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal ranks among the all-time NBA standouts.

Now it’s Me’Arah’s turn to put the family name on the marquee.

Me’Arah O’Neal, the 6-foot-4 daughter of Shaq and his former wife, TV personality Shaunie Henderson, is drawing recruiting interest coast to coast. A rising senior at Episcopal High School in Bellaire, Texas, O’Neal already has scholarship offers from UCLA, Georgia Tech, Rutgers, Kentucky, Virginia and her dad’s alma mater, LSU.

The 7-foot-1 “Shaq” was a two-time All-American at LSU and later earned four NBA championship rings.

Miss O’Neal, who could already dunk at age 14, draws attention wherever she goes. On her recent visit to LSU, she was accompanied by her father and shown around campus by Tigers’ All-American Angel Reese.

News traveled fast across social media.

Another of Shaq and Shaunie’s children is Shareef O’Neal, now playing professionally in the NBA G-League. Shareef played at UCLA and LSU, but was hampered by injuries.

Like Shareef, Me’Arah began high school at Crossroads School in Santa Monica, Calif., before transferring to the Hous- ton area school.

Her travel team has been Sports Academy GBL Swish.

LSU won its first NCAA title this past season under coach Kim Mulkey. Already in the fold for this coming season is incoming freshman Mikaylah Williams, the top-ranked player in the high school Class of ’23.