Shaq and Bron are the torchbearers of fatherhood in the NBA world. The two LA Lakers legends have had an almost similar journey as a father, trying to raise their kids into professional basketball players. While LeBron James has recently achieved this feat after a grave setback, Shaquille O’Neal recently confessed his jealousy as he couldn’t achieve his dream. Amid this situation, the Akron Hammer went all the way out to give a shout-out to the big man’s youngest son, Shaqir O’Neal.

Shaq, the father of six, would have had his second son, Shareef O’Neal, play in the league much earlier, if not for his grave heart condition. The 24-year-old, who recently signed an Exhibit-10 deal with the Sacramento Kings, had open heart surgery in 2018. It completely put a halt to his dream of playing pro. Nevertheless, he managed to play a season in the G-League in the 2022-23 season and will return this year, representing the Kings’ affiliate, Stockton Kings.

Amid this situation, Shaq, featuring in a recent episode of The Big Podcast, openly addressed his envy when the hosts asked about Bronny James’ NBA debut alongside his dad. Shaq said, “I’m happy for him but on the professional jealousy side I wish that was me and Shareef or me and Shaqir, But I’m happy for Bronny… I wish him well.” On the other hand, unfazed by the big man’s gentle jealousy, LeBron James gave a huge shoutout to Shaqir, sharing his college highlight.

We have seen LeBron James giving shoutouts via his IG stories to his sons whenever an insane highlight reel pops out. But, this time, the big man’s youngest son’s highlight reel where he hammered an explosive dunk in his college game caught Bron’s attention. The superstar shared it in his stories and wrote “Ayyyyeeeee” just like he writes for his sons.

How good is Shaqir O’Neal compared to LeBron James’ son?

The 20-year-old currently playing his junior year for Florida A&M after spending two years with Texas Southern. The 6’7 forward has a well-built frame which is complimented with his athleticism. It wouldn’t be surprising if Shaqir goes on to become a problem in the NBA world. However, looking at his college states, the rising star hasn’t made an enormous impact.

In his first two seasons with the Texas team, Shaqir averaged 1.5 points with 1.3 rebounds per game, coming off the bench in 41 games. However, in the current season with the Rattlers. he has averaged 4 points per game in two games with one game as a starter.

On the other hand, another 20-year-old also had an underwhelming freshman year, representing USC. Bronny James averaged 4.8 ppg in 25 games and directly found himself on the Lakers roster. He also got an opportunity to step on the court, donning the Purple & Gold jersey. In total, he played 6 games at an average of 2.7 minutes per game. Now, the team has referred him to its G-League affiliate, South Bay Lakers, where the team expects him to gain experience and develop his game.

Will these two 20-year-olds cross paths in the future? Let us know in the comments