Back in December 2018, Shareef O’Neal was about to undergo open-heart surgery for an anomalous coronary artery diagnosis. As he was being prepped for the procedure, his father, Shaquille O’Neal, said, “Bro, when you wake up, I’m gonna be the first [person] you see. Trust me. If you don’t wake up, I’m coming right behind you…” well, Shareef woke up after a successful surgery, and since then, he’s been on a mission to get back to top form in basketball. But now, his ambitions stretch far beyond the court.

In a recent conversation on ClutchPoints, Shareef opened up about what’s next for him. While many NBA stars focus solely on basketball, Shareef has been thinking bigger. “A lot of NBA players, sometimes after their careers are over, they don’t really think about other things outside of basketball,” he explained. His father, Shaq, had always wanted more for his kids. “One day I got to show all you guys the ropes on how to do this business stuff so I can go lay my feet up for real,” Shaq said to them as per Shareef.

And Shareef is already planning his next step. He’s setting his sights on the $1.7 trillion fashion industry. “I wanted to get more into like fashion business and just music stuff, video games—stuff,” Shareef shared. During his break from the sport, he’s spent time learning the ropes of fashion and now feels strongly about pursuing it. “I got to work in fashion,” he said.

“Fashion is one of the world’s most important industries, driving a significant part of the global economy,” McKinsey stated in its State of Fashion 2017 report. As per them, the industry has seen revenues estimated at $1.7 trillion to $2.5 trillion before the pandemic. However, it did face a 20% decline in 2019-2020, because of the pandemic.

Interestingly, on the same podcast, Shareef admitted that his dad, Shaquille O’Neal, used to troll him for his fashion choices. But despite the teasing, Shaq gave Shareef an incredible opportunity: redesigning Reebok shoes.

Shaq put Shareef to work despite mocking his fashion sense

After his open-heart surgery, Shareef O’Neal considered leaving the U.S. to play basketball in Australia. But Shaquille O’Neal, still shaken from nearly losing his son, wasn’t ready to see him move so far away. Instead, Shaq came up with a new plan—one that kept Shareef closer to home and opened the door to an unexpected opportunity.

In October 2023, Shaq was named the president of Reebok’s basketball operations, joining forces with Allen Iverson, who took on the role of vice president. The $2.46 billion brand wanted to make a comeback, and Shaq had big plans for its future. As part of the rebranding efforts, Shaq believed Shareef’s fresh perspective would be a huge asset. He decided it was time to bring his son into the fold.

“I know I always make fun of what you wear,” Shaq admitted to Shareef, “but I really want you to help, like, you know, rebrand.” Shaq wanted Shareef to work on everything from redesigning shoes and clothes to helping sign players. It was a full-circle moment—Shaq’s teasing was now a nudge toward a meaningful role in the business.

Just months ago, Shareef shared how he embraced the challenge. “We’re doing a really good job. I’d say that by the time 2025 starts, Reebok will be up there with the rest of these brands. I’m glad I contributed to that,” he said on Then They Rose. It looks like Shaq’s faith in his son is paying off.