Granger said although TSU leaders are excited, they were not shocked given the success of the university's programs. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Amirah O'Neal, the daughter of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, announced her college basketball commitment Thursday to her father's alma mater LSU.. She posted the decision on Instagram.Her brother . She couldn't bring herself to respond. She could push herself to run 30 minutes on the treadmill, something she couldn't dream of doing before surgery. "I think it's important to tell my story and acknowledge that it happened. In March 2013, two months after the unsettling diagnosis, Asjia landed in Boston at the Children's Hospital for her first open-heart surgery. Shaquille O'Neal has six children, five biological children and one stepchild. "She will never know how bad she felt until she feels as good as she's going to feel now.". Powered by BizBudding, Shaquille ONeals Children: Meet All Of Shaqs Kids. In addition, she built her core strength, and did band work and mobility exercises. "I've always said, 'How do you [know]?' Her mitral valve leak had worsened, and to add to that, they found a second leak in her tricuspid valve. "College coaches are already calling about her. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. The next day, she went up on stage and won the title, spelling the word "vegetable" for the championship. Me'arah O'Neal 6'4 2024 is so special @MeArahONeall . Catch up on the day's news you need to know. The Basketball Hall of Famer's 19-year-old daughter Amirah O'Neal committed to play basketball at Texas . The monitors revealed how hard her heart was working to allow her to play. From vegan to keto, which diet has the highest carbon footprint. As Asjia wraps up the story of her second surgery, she puts down her spoon, her gel manicure (with a white squiggly line design), glinting in the sunlight. But seven years later, just as she was positioned to become an impact player at one of the elite programs, the one thing she wanted to avoid at all costs was staring her right in her face: a life without volleyball. Shaq never talked much about his split with Shaunie until March 2022. The O' Neals are the latest to join the movement of top Black players committing to historically Black colleges and universities, which are typically underfunded, rather than other big-name institutions. "She's a master," said Ping Cao, Asjia's club coach. O'Neal took a deep breath, her lungs filling up with fresh air, unhindered by the tubes. 2 overall seed and opened the tournament with a sweep of Sacred Heart at home. April 29, 2016 8:35 am ET. At 15, when she saw Texas head coach Jerritt Elliott at several of her matches, her excitement grew. Former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal and reality TV star Shaunie O'Neal first got together at the start of the '00s and were married for nine years before they divorced in 2011. NCAA volleyball tournament: Breaking down the bracket, predictions and more, Kim Mulkey's crossroads: Her Baylor past, her LSU present and why she's not apologizing for any of it, Violent dust storms and 135 miles: Inside the world's most impossible run. Mesha is sitting next to her eating a salad, and even though she knows Asjia's story intimately, she's paying close attention, nodding at times, and adding her perspective here and there. A HOUSTON CHRONICLE INVESTIGATION:A history of funding failures at Texas HBCUs. Highlights of the 6-foot-4 LA's Finest star show that she's already an unstoppable force like her dad. MeArah ONeal, a four-star prospect in the Class of 2024, is one of the top prospects in her class. "The documentary series chronicles Shaq's ascent to superstardom, as a dominant force who won four NBA championships, league MVP honors, and changed the game." "It also encompasses his life off the court, from his upbringing in a military family to his deepest personal . O'Neal could be a big-time addition to the LSU Tigers basketball program. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. As she waited on the exam table for her doctor, she made small talk with the Texas volleyball team's physical trainer, DeAnn Koehler, who had driven her to the hospital. UT is also erecting a statue of Heman M. Sweatt, the first Black student admitted into the UT Law School, who fought and won a Supreme Court case that paved the way for desegregation at colleges and universities across the country. are unconfirmed rumors. All the while, Asjia was hooked up to a heart-lung machine to keep her blood flowing while her heart was stopped so Najm could repair her valves. Shaq, as the family patriarch and current Inside the NBA co-host, became a national star at LSU in the early 1990s before becoming a high first-round draft pick in the NBA in 1993. Jermaine had set up a home gym, and she liked training on her own timeline. That was unacceptable. She joins a team, led by former WNBA Houston Comets star Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, that finished 20-10 in its 2019-20 season and was headed to the SWAC Championship as the No. "I'm gonna try my best to rally people, put it on social media, get people out," Shaunie said. While they're no longer a couple, they still share five children. She organized meetings with the volleyball staff and her teammates. The 72-year-old Toney played high school basketball and received the All-State guard title. Her doctor entered the room, holding her results in his hands. A few minutes later, she heard the doctor ask her if she would consider other, less intense, sports. She does that at such a high level, she blows me away. * First season at LSU. Doctors told Asjia O'Neal it was too dangerous to play volleyball. The topic came up when O'Neal was asked about Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka's one-year suspension for a reported affair with a team staffer and singer Adam Levine's DMs to models.. O'Neal said he wouldn't criticize Udoka because he had . His tenure in the NBA stretched for nearly 20 years. Shaquille O'Neal was one of the most powerful and entertaining dunkers in the history of the NBA, and now the big man is passing his talent on to his kids. O'Neal had outgrown the ring that was placed in her mitral valve during her first open-heart surgery. One of the parents said, "We flew down here just to see your daughter." Then she wants to play professionally overseas. Shaquille O'Neal's daughter is a pretty big basketball prospect in her own right. Little did she know that her chest would be sawed open again. And this time the problem was even worse. Gregory Gym, which is hosting 4,295 people for this Nov. 11, 2021, encounter against Oklahoma, erupts in boos. A week earlier, Texas had lost its first match of the season to Baylor in Waco, and there's lingering worry in the air. By clicking submit, you agree to receive emails from Rolling Out and accept our web terms of use and privacy and cookie policy. More viscerally, Asjia was willing to open her heart -- twice -- to ensure that. PERSONAL. I just know how to do it, it just happens,'" Mesha said. During one of her first days at school, two girls asked her if she'd ever thought about playing volleyball. ", When Jermaine told her that they'd have to fly to Cleveland, Asjia's first reaction was, "Wait, am I going to miss my next game?". When she was a toddler, her father, Jermaine O'Neal, was at the peak of his 18-season NBA career. Things had to change within the University of Texas, and in America, she said. Shaqir joins a team ranked ninth nationally in the number of wins since March 2010. 2 recruit named to the USA Junior Nationals All-Tournament Team for three consecutive years (2015, 16, 17) 2017 USA Open National Champion 2016 7-6A MVP of Southlake Carroll High School TGCA All-Star named to the Northwest ISD Volleyball Classic, Ann Kang Invitational, and Lone Star Circle of Champions All-Tournament Teams 2015 VYPE Player of the Year 2015 Allen Texas Open All-Tournament Team. But when she returned to campus in July 2020, she could see how she compared to her teammates. The previous day doctors had told her that recovery would be more difficult this time. Shaquille O'Neal said on his podcast, "The Big Podcast with Shaq," that he was a "serial cheater" and the affairs cost him valuable time with his kids. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 7, the same number her dad wore for most of his career, she stares at her opponents, her palm wide open, a nonchalant shrug. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. After two heart surgeries, Texas volleyball star finds her power and voice, Previewing the 2023 college baseball season: Teams and players to watch, key storylines. He returned to The News in Nov. 2018. The athlete shares his oldest daughter with his former girlfriend Arnetta Yardbourgh, whom he dated for four years in the 1990s prior to . Shaquille O'Neal's third daughter, Taahirah, 24, is from his relationship with ex Arnetta Yardbourgh. A day before competing in her fourth-grade spelling bee championship, Asjia ran around their Miami house, performing one-handed cartwheels. It didn't feel like this was her game, like this was what she was meant to do. Arnetta became Shaquille's girlfriend officially after Taahirah's birth. The cause of death was cancer. Point Oklahoma. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Since his father Toney got arrested due to drug possession when Shaquille was still an infant, he relinquished his parental rights to O'Neal's stepfather, Phillip A Harrison, who was a sergeant in the Army. At 13, she had undergone an open-heart surgery so she could play the sport she loved at the highest level. I literally just told her this yesterday, I said, 'Asjia, you're special, because you're much bigger than just a volleyball player.'". In November, just days after the family had sent Asjia's latest reports to Cleveland Clinic -- the evening Texas played Oklahoma -- Jermaine received an urgent call from Asjia's doctor. PERSONAL Southlake (Texas) Carroll sophomore volleyball star Asjia O'Neal has committed to Texas for the Class of 2018. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. I've been struggling all this time, and this is how everybody else feels after a workout? Shaquille O'Neal's wife and kids are Shareef, Amirah, Shaqir, and Me'arah. Shaquille O'Neal's 13-year-old daughter, Me'arah, can dunk. In terms of height O'Neal is a . and she's like, 'I don't know, I just know. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. She didn't miss a game in 2020, returning to action eight months after surgery and finishing the season with 222 kills and 113 blocks. 2021: VolleyballMag.com Fourth Team All-AmericanAVCA All-Southwest RegionFirst Team All-Big 12First Team Academic All-Big 12Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 26) Her younger brother, Shaqir, second from left, will also play at TSU. She had struggled through her first week of training, barely managing to stay on the court. The two have three sons Myles, 24, Shareef, 21, and Shaqir, 18and two daughters Amirah, 19, and . Also, Shaq has a daughter called Taahirah, with whom he had with his ex . As soon as the doctors left the room, Asjia turned to her parents and said, "I just want to finish out the season. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. ", About five hours later he walked out of surgery and said, "It's a success. In the time sense, Shaq's opened up about his marital mistakes and fans have . She had an intuition on the court that amazed coaches. Amirah is a 6'1 post player who averaged 17.2 points per game as a junior during the 2018-2019 season as a junior. There are no statistics available for this player. 1. " [Tonka] wouldn't have to pay me at all, I'm a Tonka tough . Shaquille O'Neal 's sister Ayesha Harrison-Jex died three years after being diagnosed with cancer on Thursday, his colleagues announced on Thursday's . But today, she embraces them, both on her social media and in real life. "Weve positioned ourselves to attract high recruits," he said. He currently works as a sports analyst on a tv program named Inside the NBA.. Often regarded as one of the greatest basketball players, Shaquille led his teams to the NBA playoffs every season except for a few ones. Nothing's going to happen to me. Shaquille O"Neal #34 of the Los Angeles Lakers gets a hug from his dad after game two of the Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio, Texas. Just as she began to feel like this might be her sport, she received some shocking news during a cardiology appointment in Boston: Her mitral valve leak had gotten worse in the past year. HIGH SCHOOL (2016-20) "Let's get it over with," she said. Me'Arah O'Neal, a four-star prospect in the Class of 2024, is one of the top . Now, it is anybody's set. Amirah "Mimi" O'Neal, the daughter of NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O' Neal and VH1's Basketball Wives' star and executive producer, Shaunie O' Neal,has committed to play basketball at Texas Southern University, according to an Instagram post. Shaq brought all the kids out for this red carpet! They talked about the weather and the upcoming 2019 season, when O'Neal, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker, would make her debut after redshirting her first season with the Longhorns. "We have a purpose and that's what we're standing by, and if that offends you then you're entitled to your opinion, but get on the train or get off the train.". As a child of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, great height and basketball are two things that are almost certain in life. BEFORE TEXAS The intensity of her volleyball training was the likely cause, her doctors told her parents. He was the McDonald's All-American Game MVP after his prep career in San Antonio, Texas. It would have been impossible to know then, but that bleak hospital visit actually would be cause for chocolate cake. Instead . HONORS AND AWARDS I don't know if I can do this," Asjia said to Mesha on the phone after one of her first spring practice sessions during her redshirt freshman year at Texas in 2019. A video surfaced online Tuesday night of O'Neal's 13-year-old daughter, Me'arah O'Neal, dunking on a regulation 10-foot hoop in what appears to be a home gym. ONeal redshirted her first year in Austin but made her Longhrons debut this past season, finishing her freshman year by playing in 26 matches. Shareef shares details about his basketball careeras well as photos of his familyon his Instagram. After enjoying seven years of marriage, O'Neal and his ex-wife underwent a divorce for reasons best known to them on the 9th day of November 2010. And that would lead to another open-heart surgery and an agonizing rehabilitation. Yes, the daughter of LSU legend Shaquille O'Neal. She doesn't care what the score is. The next point, O'Neal gets a kill on an Oklahoma over-pass. And based on some of her highlight videos, it looks as though the 6-foot-4 teenager is already an unstoppable force like her dad. ONeal is transferring from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge to play at HBCU Texas Southern University in Houston, beginning in the fall. Me'Arah O'Neal, a four-star prospect in the Class of 2024, is considered one of the top players in her class. Gave birth to her 5th child at age 31, a daughter Mearah Sanaa O'Neal on May 1, 2006. NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal is a proud father of six kids . ONeal, the daughter of former NBA All-Star Jermaine ONeal, wrote on Instagram that countless tests and appointments revealed that her only option was to have surgery. "I had tears in my eyes," Jermaine said. Her older sister Amirah O'Neal can play too. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Then he calls captain Logan Eggleston to run over to question the call. She was no longer 13, and they were reopening the same incision and using a bone saw to cut open her chest. He took Asjia with him to most every game, and by the time she walked and talked, she was on TV, in her father's arms, celebrating his career with him. She has a younger brother, and what happened to George Floyd could happen to him. A 12-year-old growing up in Southern California, she was born into basketball royalty and is now starting to showcase that n Played in all 29 matches and all 100 of 102 sets during the 2020 seasonfinished second in the Big 12 Conference with a .411 hitting percentage and was sixth in the league with 1.13 blocks per setranked third on the team with 222 total kills and second with 113 total blockshad a season-high 14 kills in the win at Kansas State (10/16)had a dominant performance in the NCAA Second Round match against Wright State (4/15) with a season-high nine total blocksfinished with double-digit kills in three of the five NCAA Tournament matches, including 13 in the win over Penn State (4/18). "I remember just always saying, 'I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that,' and Asjia is the spitting image [of me].". Shareef O'Neal, Me'arah's older brother, originally posted the video on Twitter with the caption, "So my 13 year old sister is a cheat code.". Asjia was a "big baby," Jermaine said, recollecting her birth, when she arrived with a mitral valve leak, which would require regular cardiology appointments and monitoring. NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 26: Shaquille O'Neal (center) with his family attends the "Uncle Drew" New York Premiere on June 26, 2018 in New York City. * O the places I will go Dubai. Alex Murdaugh found GUILTY for murder of wife Maggie and son Paul. Took a red shirt in her freshman season. "Its a great day for Texas Southern University anytime you can get any one of the ONeals to commit," he said. A native Baltimorean and previous Tampa resident, Monique joined the Chronicle in the summer of 2021 after nearly four years at the Tampa Bay Times where she worked on all things digital, launched the newspaper's first race and identity newsletter, Regarding Race, and covered local news. O'Neal's right foot had landed on the Sooners' side of the net as she nudged the ball over. Next up is Rice (20-6) on Friday. PrepVolleyball No. "They would always try to make me cough things up, but it would hurt so bad to cough because obviously my chest is broken," O'Neal said. First she walked on the treadmill, then she jogged, then she jogged on an incline, building her cardiovascular strength. During O'Neal's infanthood, his father Toney got arrested for drug possession and once went to federal prison for forging checks. * Favorite music/artist Hip hop and R&B. The former Ozen High star and 14-year NBA vet has more on his mind than basketball, offering essays on life, his family and America. * Three-time All-CIF Team Published on October 25, 2019 10:02 AM. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images). * Life after basketball own my own business. Jed Jacobsohn/ALLSPORT. In the 2019 season, Amirah averaged 17.2 points per game. And another six weeks of monitoring before her chest bones completely healed. Now 8 days post op Im feeling better and doing more each day, ONeal wrote, and while I know the road to recovery is gonna be a long and hard one Im ready and cant wait to be back on the court in August. O'Neal burst into tears once again, holding her face, sobbing and remembering. ON A SPRING afternoon in Austin, Texas, Asjia O'Neal nonchalantly walked into the Heart Hospital of Austin for her cardiology appointment, a twice-a-year routine she had been keeping most of her life.