In the world of college basketball, familiar names often carry hefty expectations, especially when your father is NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal. Me’Arah O’Neal, the youngest in the O’Neal family, has started carving her own path on the court with a mix of poise, skill, and a willingness to perform under pressure. While balancing the family name with her own ambitions, Me’Arah is quickly emerging as a standout in her freshman season.
For Me’Arah, her father’s advice resonates deeply. “My dad always tells me that pressure makes diamonds,” she told ESPN. “I try to keep that with me, especially in those moments where everyone is watching. I’m just trying to do me and make myself proud.” With her third collegiate game in the books, it’s safe to say that advice is proving effective, as Me’Arah recently put on a show that underscores her potential and focus.
In just 17 minutes, Me’Arah scored 18 points, a significant leap from her earlier games and double her total from the previous two outings. Her improvement stretched beyond scoring; she also grabbed 8 rebounds, showing versatility and hustle on both ends of the floor. From long-range shooting to rebounding, she’s already demonstrating an impressive all-around game. In contrast to a shaky 1-for-7 from beyond the arc in her debut, she shot a stellar 66.7% against Chicago State, a mark that caught her coaches’ and teammates’ attention.
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O’Neal siblings carve their own paths in college hoops
Reflecting on her breakout performance, Me’Arah spoke with the quiet confidence of a player who’s been working hard to refine her shot. “It was a wrap from there,” she said after nailing her first 3-point shot of the game. “I really worked on it all day today; the past few games it was a little off. Making that first shot felt good.” And good it was – Me’Arah’s Gators scored 100+ points for the second game in a row, propelling them to a 3-0 season start under head coach Kelly Rae Finley.
Meanwhile, the family has another O’Neal on the court in Florida, though things are moving at a different pace for her brother, Shaqir. Representing Florida A&M Rattlers, Shaqir has struggled to find his rhythm in the season’s early games. Despite getting solid minutes, he’s yet to break double-digit scoring, with a high of 9 points in his latest game against Maryland. His shooting stats are improving, but his team’s record has not, as the Rattlers are 0-3.
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Shaquille O’Neal has always been vocal about not putting excessive pressure on his kids, but he’s expressed confidence in Me’Arah’s future in particular. “I don’t like to put pressure on my babies, but she works out with my sons, and I think it’s fair to say one day if she continues, Me’Arah will probably be the best women’s basketball player ever. She’s that good.” Those words, spoken during his Hall of Fame induction, echo his pride and high hopes for her.
As Me’Arah and Shaqir forge their individual paths, they each carry a piece of their father’s legacy on the court. Me’Arah is embracing her role as a reliable scorer for the Gators, while Shaqir works to break through early-season struggles with the Rattlers. For the O’Neal family, college basketball is a proving ground, a place to build, develop, and showcase the skills passed down from one of the NBA’s most iconic figures.