If you watched the Los Angeles Lakers during the Summer League this year then you likely saw a very familiar last name.
That is because Shareef O’Neal, son of Shaquille, played for the Lakers in an attempt to win the team over and secure a spot on the roster for next season.
All in all, the young man showed he has some skills – but was it enough?
After playing for the Lakers in Summer League, Shareef O’Neal – the son of Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal – is signing a six-figure contract with the NBA G League Ignite, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 25, 2022
Not exactly.
It is being reported that O’Neal is signing a six-figure contract with the NBA G League Ignite.
That means that he will be playing basketball, but not yet for an official NBA team.
However, his likelihood of doing that someday has officially just gotten much, much higher.
To The NBA?
O’Neal played just 37 games in college as a student for both UCLA and LSU.
He had a huge setback when medical issues called for him to have open heart surgery and miss a whole lot of his college career.
O’Neal wasn’t too productive in college but he decided he was ready to take a stab at the NBA.
He went undrafted back in June but then found a deal for the Lakers in the Summer League, where he put up 4.7 points and 3.7 rebounds.
There are a lot of expectations for O’Neal simply due to his last name.
But the 6-foot-10, 215-pound player isn’t much like his father.
He isn’t built like him and he doesn’t play like him – and this leads some to consider him a letdown.
But he’s got room to grow and he showed far more skill than some expected during the Summer League.
We definitely might not have seen the last of young O’Neal.
If he uses his time in the G League wisely, he may very well be moving up into the NBA.
NEXT: Russell Westbrook Helps His Teammates When It Matters Most