Me’Arah O’Neal is following in her father Shaq’s footsteps. The 17-year-old was nominated for this season’s McDonald’s All American Games. The list of nominees was released yesterday. O’Neal was included alongside her teammate, Liv McGill.
The list will be narrowed down to the top 24 players in the country who will eventually participate in the event. The final selection is made after basketball experts cast their votes. The 2024 roster is expected to be announced on January 23 on NBA Today between 3-4 p.m. ET on ESPN and on ESPN’s various social and digital platforms.
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The announcement comes as O’Neal signed a letter of intent with the University of Florida last November. She joined the Florida Gators’s women’s basketball team after receiving offers from seven other colleges, including her father’s alma mater, LSU, and other institutions such as Arizona State and UCLA.
“My family was just there to support me. I was pressuring myself to make a decision, but I learned I had to be patient. And I did make this decision on my own,” O’Neal said about her decision, according to ESPN.
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Shaq has been openly supportive of his daughter. He was seen holding back tears as he watched her play in the Nike Nationals last July.
“I try not to get in the way,” he told Insider about letting her forge her path. “And the reason is I believe in déjà vu parenting.”
