Parents often have high hopes for their children. Shaquille O’Neal is no different in those regards, setting the bar impossibly high for his son, Shareef.
On TNT’s “The Big Podcast with Shaq,” the Hall of Fame center likened Shareef to a better version of an NBA superstar.
“What people don’t know is — I know, I have a Giannis with a jump shot,” O’Neal said about his son. “That’s how I raised him. I have a Giannis Antetokounmpo with a jump shot, but people don’t know. So, hopefully he gets to go to a place where he can showcase his talent so people can see who he really is.”
To recap, Shaq compared Shareef to a two-time MVP and NBA champion … without his one shortcoming.
Shareef doesn’t seem to mind the elevated expectations.
You know the real ! You raised me ! You made me! https://t.co/HPWr9lYid9
— Shareef O’Neal (@SSJreef) April 3, 2022
Shareef is currently seeking his third school in the NCAA transfer portal. After decommitting from Arizona, he played 13 games off the bench for UCLA. He transferred to LSU, his father’s alma mater, only to receive another light workload over two seasons. The 6’10” forward averaged 2.9 points and 2.1 rebounds in 14 games last season.
Shaq, who said he’ll support his son’s decision wherever he chooses to go, added that Shareef has “to be a little meaner” on the court because he “taught him how to be too nice.”
If the Big Aristotle’s scouting report is more than exaggerated fatherly praise, college teams should be fighting for a chance to land arguably the greatest basketball prospect of all time.
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