Kentucky — and everyone else — recruiting Shaquille O’Neal’s daughter. She’s hard to miss.
At last weekend’s Nike Nationals, Kentucky women’s basketball recruiting target Me’Arah O’Neal had herself a block party.
The No. 35 prospect in the class of 2024 led all 17U players in blocks with 2.3 per game while averaging 11.1 points for Texas-based EYBL program CyFair Elite. O’Neal also grabbed 7.0 rebounds per game, a top-10 average among all players during last weekend’s slate of games in one of the country’s major recruiting showcases.
When asked what she’s most proud of about her game, the 6-foot-4 small forward listed her versatility and size.
“Just the God-given talent that I have to play all five positions,” said O’Neal, who is rated as a four-star prospect. “And be able to shoot at the height that I have.”
O’Neal is the daughter of Shaquille O’Neal, who, of course, played three seasons with LSU prior to being drafted first overall by the Orlando Magic in the 1992 NBA Draft. Fans all around Chicago’s McCormick Center were excited to see the Hall of Famer pull up to watch his daughter drop a weekend-high 21 points, as well as record 12 rebounds, three blocks and five assists, against the Sports City Angels on Saturday.
However, the Episcopal High School (Houston) star named her older brother Shareef as the biggest influence on her game. Shareef, who at one time mentioned an attraction to Kentucky’s program, spent last season with the G League Ignite squad.
“Definitely my brother Shareef,” O’Neal said. “I’ve spent pretty much half, majority of my life, watching him. So pretty much his game and a little bit of a tweak of mine.”
Me’Arah O’Neal reported a scholarship offer from UK at the end of May. She also holds offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Baylor, California, Florida, Georgia Tech, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Virginia. O’Neal and her father took a trip to Baton Rouge, La., at the end of February for a visit with Shaq’s alma mater and last season’s NCAA women’s champions. LSU head coach Kim Mulkey offered O’Neal in late April.
O’Neal expects to make a college decision in August but, in terms of what she’s seeking at the next level, she said she’s looking for strong relationships.
“I’m definitely big on relationships,” O’Neal said. “So whichever school is most invested and where I’ll have a successful career is definitely where I will end up.”
At Nike Nationals all weekend, there was no shortage of college coaches hoping to catch a glimpse of O’Neal and her CyFair Elite teammates. The powerhouse program also boasts Justice Carlton, the No. 6 prospect in the class of 2024, as well as 2025 standouts Aaliyah Chavez (No. 1), Isabella Hines (No. 23), Ayla McDowell (No. 28), Aniya Foy (No. 31) and Sania Richardson (No. 46).
Coaches from each of the schools offering O’Neal, as well as myriad others, stopped by throughout the tournament. The environment was loaded, but packed with opportunity. It didn’t intimidate O’Neal whatsoever.
“No, not at all,” O’Neal said. “My dad tells me, ‘pressure makes diamonds.’”
