Shaquille O'Neal's Daughter Announces College Basketball Commitment

Shaquille O'Neal has left a lasting legacy on the sport of basketball. Not only did he revolutionize the center position with his unique combination of size, power, and athleticism when he first entered the league in the early '90s, but he maintained his status as arguably the most dominant player in the league from a performance perspective throughout the majority of his 19-year NBA career. He's got the stats and the rings to prove it. Since retiring, in addition to a plethora of other ventures, Shaq works as an NBA analyst for TNT's extremely successful 'Inside the NBA' show. Still, his basketball legacy extends far beyond his own accomplishments on the hardwood, or in the studio. Four of O'Neal's six children have played, are playing currently, or will be playing basketball at the collegiate level. Most recently, Shaquille's youngest daughter, Me'Arah joined the long list of O'Neal's to commit to a major collegiate basketball program. Me'Arah chose to attend the University of Florida to play for the Gators over her father's alma mater, LSU. Had Me'Arah chosen to become an LSU Tiger, she would have been the fourth member of her family. In addition to her dad, her sister Amirah was a walk-on at LSU before eventually transferring to Texas Southern. Her brother Shareef, who started his collegiate career at UCLA, made the switch to LSU before leaving school early to pursue a career in the pros. Speaking to ESPN regarding her decision, Me'Arah explained why she chose Florida. "I felt like I connected with Coach Kelly more than I connected with any of the other schools that recruited me. She really cares about me not just on the court but off the court. That's important for me." As Shaq's youngest child, it appears as though Me'Arah will have the final opportunity of all her siblings to match her father's success at the collegiate level. That said, if you follow her on social media you'll quickly learn that she's more concerned with paving her own path than she is following in her father's footsteps.
Courtyesy of: mensjournal.com