Their younger sister, MeArah, is also getting Divison I offers, but has not yet committed anywhere. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The former Ozen High star and 14-year NBA vet has more on his mind than basketball, offering essays on life, his family and America. She was on Southlake Carrolls varsity as a freshman but Southlake coach Ryan Mitchell has brought ONeal along slowly due to the impact overwhelming expectations coming too quickly and after ONeal had to undergo surgery to repair a heart valve as a 13-year-old. Took a red shirt in her freshman season. Her younger brother, Shaqir, second from left, will also play at TSU. The Basketball Hall of Famer's 19-year-old daughter Amirah O'Neal committed to play basketball at Texas . So, we gotta change that.". "I've always said, 'How do you [know]?' When O'Neal was in infancy, his father, Toney, who was an addict was convicted and sent to . However, Coopers squad boasted a 20-10 record in 2019. ", "You just had your whole chest open, and you're already back," Gabriel recalled telling O'Neal. O'Neal had previously been a walk-on at her father's alma mater, LSU. 1 team in Texas throughout most this past season. It was for his daughter. He also stopped the leak in her tricuspid valve. The doctors told her that she would be discharged when she walked around the hospital, once, with a walking aid. A post shared by M ?? A day before competing in her fourth-grade spelling bee championship, Asjia ran around their Miami house, performing one-handed cartwheels. In 2002, two years after Asjia was born, O'Neal was named the league's most improved player, charming fans with his outgoing personality and tantalizing promise with the Indiana Pacers. Former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal and reality TV star Shaunie O'Neal first got together at the start of the '00s and were married for nine years before they divorced in 2011. By identifying that O'Neal's leaky valve had worsened, the doctor that day started a chain reaction that could lead to celebrations for years to come. Shaquille O'Neal said on his podcast, "The Big Podcast with Shaq," that he was a "serial cheater" and the affairs cost him valuable time with his kids. I'm positive everything will go well. She was previously a walk-on at her fathers alma mater Louisiana State University, but is now the second family member to bring their talents to Houston after her younger brother, Shaqir, announced in May that he was joining TSUs mens basketball program. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 2020 Brand Guidelines I love your team. Doctors told Asjia O'Neal it was too dangerous to play volleyball. Asjia's echo and EKG results didn't show anything out of the ordinary, which made her question herself even more. Shaquille O'Neal Expressed Displeasure Towards Michael B Jordan to 'Aunt' Nischelle Turner . Like many other vocal athletes, O'Neal faced backlash on social media, with comments on her profile like, "I'm never going to buy a ticket again. In the 1% he isn't doing this, you can find him playing Basketball . And thanks to coach Kelvin Sampson and the assistants he Solomon: DeMeco Ryans the right coach at the right time, 3 pressing questions facing new Astros GM Dana Brown, Jabari Smith Jr. growing up in NBA with an assist from his father, Poor parent behavior is driving high school sports refs away. Sign up for notifications from Insider! A violation is called. Amirah ONeal will be coached by one of the greatest WNBA players ever, Cynthia Cooper, who won four consecutive titles with the now-defunct Houston Comets from 1997-2000. 1 overall? . She nudges the ball over the net, and the referee blows the whistle. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. * Attended Crossroads for three years before being homeschooled in 2019-20. TSU did finish last season with a 5-10 record during the pandemic-ravaged season. BEFORE TEXAS BEFORE TEXAS. At age 14, she received her first college letter, from LSU. TSU is no stranger to high-profile celebrities and athletes. She knew of Texas' success and she wanted to be a part of it. And on the fourth day, she could make one round, with her aid. "The documentary series chronicles Shaq's ascent to superstardom, as a dominant force who won four NBA championships, league MVP honors, and changed the game." "It also encompasses his life off the court, from his upbringing in a military family to his deepest personal . * Cal-Hi Sports Division IV All-State Team At 15, when she saw Texas head coach Jerritt Elliott at several of her matches, her excitement grew. Now 8 days post op Im feeling better and doing more each day, ONeal wrote, and while I know the road to recovery is gonna be a long and hard one Im ready and cant wait to be back on the court in August. In the 2019 season, Amirah averaged 17.2 points per game. Nothing's going to happen to me. "All lives can't matter, until Black lives matter," she says in the video, looking directly at the camera. She watched Koehler's mouth move, but couldn't process a word of the urgent conversation her trainer was having with her doctor. O'Neal tuned out every word that came out of her doctor's mouth after that. Dr. Najm replaced it with the "biggest ring" he's ever "put on a woman before," Mesha remembered Najm saying. Southlake (Texas) Carroll sophomore volleyball star Asjia O'Neal has committed to Texas for the Class of 2018. ASJIA O'NEAL HAS always been a regular at big arenas. "It speaks volumes for our program and where we are, and were thankful that the ONeals have the confidence in us to trust us with their son and daughter. ASJIA O'NEAL LIFTS into the air, but the set by Jhenna Gabriel is tight. "She probably would not have had to have it if she did not play sports," Mesha said. . One of the parents said, "We flew down here just to see your daughter." Shareef O'Neal had six points and four rebounds in his 10 first-half minutes during LSU's 75-55 win over Missouri. O'Neal stands . "Regardless of my accomplishments on the court, I think just having that imagery for young girls is incredible.". ONeal, the daughter of former NBA All-Star Jermaine ONeal, wrote on Instagram that countless tests and appointments revealed that her only option was to have surgery. During his 19 year career, Shaq played for six teams and is currently considered one of the . * Favorite food Mexican food. ONeal monitors her health but hasnt been restricted or been unable to participate due to any heart-related problems. ON A SUNNY November day in Austin, O'Neal, wearing a burnt orange Texas long-sleeve shirt, bandana and black sweats, is seated at an outdoor table at Civil Goat Coffee, one of her favorite cafes. CSUN's Merren, East Bay's Smith win CalHOPE, New NCAA president readies for NIL, legal issues, Tennessee coach Vitello to return after suspension, No. Shaquille O'Neal's younger daughter Me'Arah O'Neal is making great progress with her basketball game. Shaquille was said to be very thrilled to have his first child in the 1997 Sports Illustrated interview. We wish her the best of luck.. Jermaine, who had been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat in 2013, called every doctor he knew in the NBA to get his daughter the best treatment he could. In 2002, the former NBA player married Shaunie O'Neal, a reality television star, but later divorced. ", "If that's how you feel, do what you want with your money," O'Neal says matter-of-factly. Asjia is the daughter of former NBA All-Star Jermaine O'Neal. He was the McDonald's All-American Game MVP after his prep career in San Antonio, Texas. On the first day after the operation, she couldn't sit up, couldn't engage her core in any way, and her parents had to sit her up. In silence, she stood up and walked with Koehler to the car. Their . The Los Angeles native was a 2019 . Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. * Started playing basketball at age 10. On Texas' second set point -- with the fans on their feet -- Gabriel and O'Neal connect on a perfect slide attack, and a smile finally creeps across O'Neal's face after she gets the set-clinching kill. Getty Images O'Neal has rarely spoken publicly about being a Muslim, but in 2010 he did reveal he intended to take the Islamic pilgrimage known as the Hajj to Mecca, Saudi . Shaq to his kids: "We ain't rich, I'm rich.". "I want them to have most of those goals, and once they get 18 on and they become little mini-adults, I'm not going to be the dad that says, 'Do this, do that.' Amirah O'Neal, the daughter of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, announced her college basketball commitment Thursday to her father's alma mater LSU.. She posted the decision on Instagram.Her brother . April 29, 2016 8:35 am ET. She wrote that she was facing the possibility of never playing volleyball again; now she expects to be back on the court come August. The father-of-six says he's been playing with Tonka's trucks "since the seventies" and buying them for his own children since the 90s. After enjoying seven years of marriage, O'Neal and his ex-wife underwent a divorce for reasons best known to them on the 9th day of November 2010. "But because she wanted to play sports, she needed it. She had a congenital heart condition, but she didn't want to use it as an excuse, so she pushed herself, sometimes to the brink, before Koehler noticed her struggling and made her leave the court. On the second day, she slowly sat up and walked a few steps with support. And she did, sticking with her team until the Longhorns lost in the NCAA regionals against Louisville on Dec. 13, when she hit .778 with seven kills and five blocks. Southlake (Texas) Carroll sophomore volleyball star Asjia ONeal has committed to Texas for the Class of 2018. Shaqir joins a team ranked ninth nationally in the number of wins since March 2010. While speaking to BallIsLife, Shaunie was asked if she thought her daughters could help raise the profile of women's basketball. MeArah ONeal, a four-star prospect in the Class of 2024, is one of the top prospects in her class. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. A fan walks over and interrupts our conversation. Basketball aside, Asjia was like her father in most every way. Shaquille O'Neal is one of the most dominant players in NBA history, helping his teams to win NBA Championships and Olympic gold. I just know how to do it, it just happens,'" Mesha said. Regular Season, Playoffs, All-Star) He took Asjia with him to most every game, and by the time she walked and talked, she was on TV, in her father's arms, celebrating his career with him. In November, just days after the family had sent Asjia's latest reports to Cleveland Clinic -- the evening Texas played Oklahoma -- Jermaine received an urgent call from Asjia's doctor. Amirah just finished her freshman year at LSU, where she plays forward. "In the perfect world, I'd like them to have a bachelor's and master's and [be] going into their own field.". Shaquille O'Neal is one of the most famous basketball players of all time. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. That includes his second eldest daughter, Amirah, who's a basketball star at her father's alma mater, Louisiana State University. "Athletes, when they are exercising, they convert their cardiac output -- as we call it -- or circulation, they multiply that by at least five times, sometimes more. She doesn't care what the score is. UT ends regular season on high note with win over Kansas, UH's basketball rivalry with Memphis could end as soon as Sunday, Bun B, Badu, J.J. Watt celebrate RodeoHouston Southern Takeover, Exclusive: Abbott explains push against diversity hiring programs. 2021: VolleyballMag.com Fourth Team All-AmericanAVCA All-Southwest RegionFirst Team All-Big 12First Team Academic All-Big 12Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 26) Website: www.shaq.com, Youtube:. "She said what needed to be said.". Shaquille O'Neal's daughter has now received two scholarship offers from Division I programs. I remember recovering so quickly and going out there and playing and feeling great.". ", When they walked into Najm's office, they asked, almost in unison, "Could she finish the season? Shareef O'Neal (11 January 2000) is a American college . She would have to be awake, no anesthesia to numb the pain. O'Neal could be a big-time addition to the LSU Tigers basketball program. Her older brother Shareef O'Neal posted a video on Twitter Tuesday night of the young baller throwing down on a regulation 10-foot hoop. Elliott, his mask halfway down, walks over to the referee to talk. ", Said Koehler: "She was playing at a low 60% capacity before the surgery. Gave birth to her 5th child at age 31, a daughter Mearah Sanaa O'Neal on May 1, 2006. Basketball world mourns loss of the Orlando native. * Daughter of Shaquille ONeal and Shaunie ONeal; Dad played for LSU from 1989-92 and was the No. But today, she embraces them, both on her social media and in real life. That was unacceptable. "She never wanted to accept that her heart [condition] prevented her from doing certain things that other people could easily do," Mesha said. "I remember just always saying, 'I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that,' and Asjia is the spitting image [of me].". Accompanying her . Amirah ONeal, the daughter of NBA legend and Hall of Famer Shaquille ONeal, has announced that she is leaving her fathers alma mater to play at a historically Black college in Texas. She changed into a hospital gown, lay down, and a nurse administered an echocardiogram and an EKG, tests to check the rhythm and structure of her heart and its electrical signals. * Honor Roll 2019: VolleyballMag.com All-Freshman Honorable MentionBig 12 Rookie of the Week (Nov. 4, 2019)Big 12 Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll. When the team began doing conditioning and agility training in the sand, she was "blowing through it, beating people in races," O'Neal said. * Favorite hangout activity shopping, playing video games (Call of Duty), watching TV In addition to Shaq's former wife of 9 years, Shaunie O'Neal, the basketball legend has been linked to countless women. I see the doubt in they faces, they didnt think I would make it, she wrote in the caption. As I wached another of those endless run of commercials this morning featuring Shaquille O'Neal speaking to a cartoon general, with the ex-NBA player hawking auto insurance, I was struck by not only how many commercials Shaq makes, but the wide, random, range of companies that he has endorsed.. O'Neal has spoken on behalf of -- to name just a few -- a sleep apnea mask, a sugar substitute . "We're not going to take what one doctor says and run with it, you hear me?". "Weve positioned ourselves to attract high recruits," he said. Me'arah, who is the youngest of Shaq's five children, plays for LA's Finest, according to Rivals.com. "What she has, she's had for more than a year now.". 10:26 am. Keisha Lance Bottoms previews President Bidens trip to Selma, Tom Sizemore Dies At The Age Of 61 Following A Brain Aneurysm, Singer Juanialys music brings positive vibes, Songstress Melba Moore continues to pave the way for the next generation, Anslem ElumogoGardner shares the top 3 skills a future executive needs, Dr. Dana Laughlin gives advice for finding a therapist. (@mearahoneal_). She pulls up her shirt and points to three healed holes spaced equidistant below her chest. Three tubes were inserted into the holes during her surgery to help collect fluid buildup that occurs during an open-heart surgery. LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 24: Former Los Angeles Lakers player Shaquille O'Neal speaks after unveiling of his statue at Staples Center March 24, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. After the death of George Floyd, O'Neal felt a similar need to be heard. She asked him to train her during the summer after fourth grade, but something didn't feel right. RELATED: Dennis Rodman's 18-Year-Old Daughter Just Made Sports History Twice. Shaquille O'Neal's 13-year-old daughter, Me'arah, can dunk. Played in 28 matches during the 2021 seasonfinished second on the team with 114 total blocks and led the Longhorns with 16 solo blockssecond on the team with a .383 hitting percentage and was third with 266 pointsfinished with 170 kills, the fifth-most on the teamthird on the team with 31 service acestied career high with nine blocks in back-to-back matches at Iowa State (10/21-22). All the while, Asjia was hooked up to a heart-lung machine to keep her blood flowing while her heart was stopped so Najm could repair her valves. Shaq, as the family patriarch and current Inside the NBA co-host, became a national star at LSU in the early 1990s before becoming a high first-round draft pick in the NBA in 1993. The doctors there came to a consensus -- she could play out the 2019 season, but she would have to go in for cardiology appointments every three months in Austin, and the results had to be shared with her doctors at Cleveland Clinic. ON THE MORNING of Jan. 14, 2020, two months before the pandemic shut down the country, O'Neal was wheeled into the operating room, with her parents, her brother, Koehler and coach Elliott by her side. Who is Myles (O'Neal has a daughter with Arnetta Yardbourgh. ", When Jermaine told her that they'd have to fly to Cleveland, Asjia's first reaction was, "Wait, am I going to miss my next game?". By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider In Asjia's case, Najm made an unusual decision. The athlete shares his oldest daughter with his former girlfriend Arnetta Yardbourgh, whom he dated for four years in the 1990s prior to . Her voice helped spark important changes on campus. The sister of NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, Ayesha Harrison-Jex, died from cancer Thursday at age 40. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. A month after Texas' season ended, O'Neal walked into Cleveland Clinic in a green dressing gown, ready to have her heart cut open -- again. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Asjia hung up and walked in a daze to her dorm room, where her teammates and friends Jhenna Gabriel and Logan Eggleston were waiting. Me'arah is still too young to commit to play in college, but given her height, her basketball genes, and her ability to dominate the post and drain shots from range, there's little doubt she'll have offers rolling in soon. Source: Instagram. The mother-daughter duo relocated to . Former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal and reality TV star Shaunie O'Neal first got together at the start of the '00s and were married for nine years before they divorced in 2011.