4 Years After Mom Confessed He Could Have Died, Shaquille O’Neal’s Ex-Lakers Player Son Displays How Far He Has Come in His Journey

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has left a huge mark in the NBA world, especially with the Los Angeles Lakers. Filling his shoes and carrying on his legacy is a daunting task, but his sons are up for the challenge. Shareef O’Neal, Shaq’s eldest son with Shaunie, is an exciting basketball prospect. Much like his father, he played for the LSU Tigers. However, a major heart disease posed a problem for his basketball career.

In fact, Shareef’s mother had revealed that she could have lost her son to the disease. Four years after this rough patch in his life, O’Neal posted a motivating update for his fans.

Shaquille O’Neal’s son posts heartwarming update on social media

Shareef O’Neal was projected to be the next big thing in the world of basketball. Playing for the LSU Tigers, he seemed like a real-life regen of his great-father.

However, doctors diagnosed Shareef with heart disease while he was still in his sophomore year. He missed an entire season of basketball after he was diagnosed with a right anomalous coronary artery. This was revealed by his mother, Shaunie Nelson during her show.

She also revealed how Shareef could have lost his life if not for the early detection of his problem. Moreover, she divulged that her son was born with the heart condition.

Shaunie said, “He was born with it. He could’ve died from it. They let us know Shareef needed open-heart surgery. That made my heart break.”

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Following his open heart surgery four years ago, Shareef O’Neal has made a remarkable comeback. From playing for the Los Angeles Lakers to making a comeback physically, O’Neal has done it all.

Recently, he posted a powerful story on Instagram where he is having an intense workout session on his Instagram story. O’Neal, who has around 3 million followers on Instagram, is a perfect embodiment of a never give up attitude.

Is Shareef O’Neal playing for the Lakers?

O’Neal is still a long way from playing for the Lakers at the NBA level. However, he got a taste of playing for the Lake Show during the summer league ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season.

Not only Shareef, but Scottie Pippen Jr was also on the same team. However, Pippen got a chance to play at the highest level and has had minutes for the Lake Show, unlike O’Neal.

Shareef, who once revealed that he wants to be better than his father, is currently playing in the G-League. Interestingly, he plays for Ignite, along with another top prospect, Scoot Henderson.

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Do you think Shareef O’Neal can make it big in the NBA? Let us know in the comments below.