“I always tell him, ‘If a guy tries to bow up against you, put your elbow right in his teeth and knock his teeth out’” - Shaquille O'Neal says his son, Shareef, is too nice

Shaquille O'Neal has frequently voiced his opinion, even willing to discuss the basketball dreams of his son, Shareef.

Throughout his NBA career, O'Neal was always willing to be blunt. That same philosophy has translated to his time as a father, as he looks to give his son advice on his dream of playing in the NBA. What he wants from Shareef is to see some toughness come out while he develops his talent.

In a recent interview in Melbourne, Australia titled "An Evening with Shaq," O'Neal said:

“He’s a fabulous player — he’s like Giannis (Antetokounmpo) with a jump shot — but he has to figure out how to harness that energy. He’s just too nice right now. A very nice, respectful kid. ... I always tell him, ‘If a guy tries to bow up against you, put your elbow right in his teeth and knock his teeth out.’ That’s how you do it.”

Shareef, a forward, was a talented high school player, first enrolling at traditional powerhouse UCLA. After a surgical procedure, Shareef transferred to LSU, where he played sparingly last season. He declared for the 2022 draft but went undrafted.

O'Neal, who was a national player of the year and the No. 1 pick in 1992 from LSU, said he initially wanted Shareef to continue to develop his game in college.

Shareef signed with the G League Ignite last month as he pursues his dream.

“I wanted him to stay in school for another year, but he wanted to go, so as a father, you have to support that," O'Neal said. "He played Summer League and didn’t make the team, and now he’s in the G League. That’s his process of making it. Everyone's process is going to be different.”

---

Shaquille O'Neal continues to offer support for son's basketball career

Shaquille O'Neal, rigth, and his son Shareef O'Neal at LSU

It's been a tough journey to the NBA for Shareef O'Neal. Despite the obstacles in his way, the young forward has the support of his father. Shareef played with the LA Lakers' summer league team. Although he got a limited amount of playing time, there's still plenty of long-term upside for the 22-year-old.

There's going to be plenty of challenges ahead for Shareef, as he's going to need to spend a lot of time working on his game. If there's one thing going for him, he'll continue to have a pretty good mentor along the way.