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Shaquille O’Neal’s youngest daughter Me’Arah is a basketball prodigy. The 18-year-old was the third-best prospect from Texas within the 2024 recruitment class and dedicated to play for the Florida Gators. Whereas she’s following in her father’s footsteps, basketball wasn’t her past love. She was enamored by flag soccer as a toddler and pulled off athletic feats so unimaginable, it left her mom Shaunie astonished.
Throughout an interview with Miguel Molina for ESPN Gainesville, the host advised Me’Arah about her mom’s confession about her otherwordly power and athleticism at age 5. He mentioned,
“[Shaunie] recalled a time once you have been simply 5 years outdated and also you threw a soccer 50 yards to your PE instructor and he or she mentioned, ‘That was the second that she realized that you simply have been really particular.’”
Basketball could be her main focus now, however Me’Arah wasn’t too eager on becoming a member of the household enterprise when she was youthful. She shocked herself when she efficiently dribbled a basketball for the primary time as nobody had taught her find out how to do it. Through the years, her love for the game grew.
Nevertheless, she was so expert that she not solely refused to play with women but in addition boys her age. Molina learn a quote for Me’Arah and requested her to guess who it got here from. He quoted,
“Me’Arah is probably the most expert and proficient O’Neal. When she was youthful, she by no means wished to play together with her age group, all the time wished to play with me and my buddies.”
The 18-year-old accurately guessed it was brother Shareef, who’s six years older than her. Me’Arah’s elder brother and mom aren’t her solely members of the family who knew she was destined for greatness like her father.
Shaq referred to as Me’Arah one of the best basketball participant within the household
Throughout an look on The Tonight Present in 2020, host Jimmy Fallon requested Shaquille O’Neal whether or not his daughter Me’Arah, who was 14 on the time, was one of the best basketball participant within the household. The Hall of Famer responded,
“Sure. My youngest daughter Me’Arah is one of the best certainly one of them.”
Though he has immense confidence in her potential, he refuses to play one-on-one towards her. When Fallon requested why, O’Neal mentioned he wouldn’t wish to beat her. He claimed that he couldn’t management his aggressive urge, and wouldn’t suppose twice earlier than utilizing his elbow on her.
Nevertheless, the four-time NBA champion has devised a novel technique to encourage her to enhance. In an interview with ESPN, he mentioned,
“After I advised her issues that you simply’re not speculated to say in society, she would get mad. ‘Can’t play the boys, you’re a woman. You’ll be able to’t play, you’re too little. You’re not that good, you’re brother’s approach higher than you.’ And I see, some individuals after they get indignant, they lash out. However she all the time had that, ‘Okay, Imma present you.’ And that’s precisely what I wished.”
O’Neal’s teaching model helped Me’Arah develop into one of the crucial sought-after gamers within the nation. She’ll now spend the following 4 seasons with the Gators and look to emulate her father in going #1 total within the draft in 2028.
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