Who Is Shareef O’Neal’s Ex-Teammate Eric Gaines? Know All About 22 YO Viral Dunking Sensation

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is a proud father to witness his son Shareef O’Neal electrifying the court just like him. However, Shareef’s former teammate is no amateur when it comes to handling a basketball ball. Nicknamed the “DaReal1″, Eric Gaines is creating quite a buzz with his moves. This upcoming prospect has created quite a sensation recently.

 Therefore, there is an urge in the basketball world to know more about him. 

A sneak peek into Eric Gaines

Born in New Jersey, Eric Gaines initially took an interest in football. Luckily, this talented athlete switched to basketball not long after. Gaines was a four-star recruit in High School. He didn’t receive much attention while representing Lithonia in his first two seasons. The 6-foot-2 guard upgraded his game in his senior year and ended the season averaging 18.6 points with 4.0 assists and 2.7 steals. His performance drew him comparison with two-time NBA All-Star Ja Morant. Moreover, he successfully converted 56% of his field goal attempts, of which 44% were from a three-point range. As a result, he was awarded 5A North Player of the Year from the Georgia Coaches Association. 

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Eric Gaines started his college career with the LSU Tigers. As a freshman, he averaged 2.5 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. Gaines made significant improvements to his game in his sophomore year. He finished the season averaging 9.0 points, 3.3 rebounds with 2.9 assists and 2.1 steals. Following this, the UAB Blazers recruited Gaines in 2022. He had an impactful season averaging 11.5 points to go with 4.3 assists per game. Furthermore, the talented No.4 showed his talent in the defense adding 72 steals to his 25 blocks. Although, there is much more to Eric’s game than just these numbers. 

An in-depth look into Gaines’ game

The high-flying NCAA star is taking important strides in his infant career in basketball. He has shown his ability to improve with every passing year. Gaines has better efficiency when it comes to perimeter shooting. He has been an easy target for the critics due to his height. Nevertheless, he makes the most of what he’s got and doesn’t shy away from making his opponents sweat. Gaines has made a reputation for creating steals and is coming out as a very subtle scorer. In addition to this, Eric has an exceptional perception of the game. 

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Eric Gaines is just getting started with his journey in professional basketball. He has shown his desire to make himself a huge star in the sport. We will have to wait and see how quickly he can get into big-boy shoes. 

What are your thoughts on this young prospect? Share with us in the comments section.