Shaquille and Shaunie O’Neal are officially sending their 18-year daughter Amirah O’Neal off to college. Over the weekend, the “Basketball Wives” showrunner threw Amirah and her 14-year-old sister Me’Arah O’Neal a drive-by graduation party. Me’Arah will be a freshman in high school in the fall, while Amirah will be playing basketball at Louisiana State University.
The 6-foot-3 Amirah is following in her father’s footsteps as an LSU basketball center. According to 247 Sports, she averaged 17.2 points per game during her time at Crossroads High School in Santa Monica, California. Amirah was also an Honorable Mention selection to the MaxPreps 2019 California All-State Girls Basketball Team, as well as the Cal-Hi Sports Division IV All-State Team.
Amirah’s brother Shareef O’Neal announced at the beginning of February he was transferring from UCLA to LSU. Not long before his freshman season was to begin in 2018, Shareef was diagnosed with a right anomalous coronary artery, a congenital heart defect condition that can be fatal if left untreated. Shareef would redshirt that season and undergo successful open-heart surgery to repair the defect. In 2018, Shareef returned to the court to play for the Bruins in the 2019-2020 season, averaging 2.2 points and 2.9 rebounds over 13 games.
Shortly after his announcement, Amirah confirmed via Instagram in April that she would join the Tigers’ 2020 recruiting class. “One of the most difficult decisions for a person my age to make, is the jump from high school to college. Although I don’t fully know what’s ahead of me, I am ready for the challenge. I never imagined myself saying this, but I am excited to say that I have decided to commit to being a student athlete at LSU along side my brother @shareefoneal . I am Sooooo grateful to spend my next 4 years as a Tiger. 💛 🐯 #letsgeauxtigers🐯💜,” she wrote.
Amirah seems to be excited to leave the nest, and fans appear to be happy for her. “Welcome to Louisiana❤️❤️,” one user wrote.
Shaquille O’Neal, a 15-time NBA All-Star who won three championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Miami Heat, played at LSU from 1989 through 1992 before getting selected No. 1 in the 1992 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic. A decade later, Shaquille married Shaunie, but the pair separated in 2007. Their divorce became finalized in 2009. They also share 17-year-old Shaquir O’Neal. Shaunie has a 22-year-old son, Myles O’Neal, from a previous relationship. Shaquille also has a 23-year-old daughter, Taahirah O’Neal, from a prior relationship.
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