Shareef O'Neal didn't land an NBA contract after his Summer League stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, but the son of Shaquille O'Neal is not giving up on his dream just yet.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Shareef is moving to the G League to keep his pro hoops aspirations alive. It's not a bad deal for him either, as he's signing a six-figure contract with the G League Ignite.
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
It hasn't been an easy journey for Shareef O'Neal so far. After an open-heart surgery in 2018, he worked his way back to playing basketball again. Unfortunately, various foot injuries in 2020 and 2021 didn't help his case as he went undrafted in the annual rookie selection this 2022.
He managed to land a Summer League contract with the Lakers, playing in six games and putting up 4.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in 10.9 minutes of play. He did display the athleticism that intrigued NBA teams before the draft, but despite that and the flashes of brilliance, it was quite clear he is not yet fully ready and polished for the top professional league in the world.
With the G League Ignite, though, Shareef has a chance to showcase his skills with more playing time and a better role. He could very well earn a starting spot on the team, which should only boost his chances of eventually earning an NBA call-up in the future.
For now, Shareef certainly made the right choice of focusing on his development while getting playing time. Had he focused on landing a professional contract elsewhere, it's not guaranteed he'll get to play anyway.
Here's to hoping the son of Shaquille O'Neal also makes it to the NBA.
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