Arizona Basketball: Shaq, Shareef and the O’Neals Workout Together

The O’Neals recently got together and worked out in Los Angeles at the Expo Center. Home Team Hoops was there to cover it all.

While all the focus has been on the Ball Family lately, the O’Neals have been putting in work at the gym. This past June at the Expo Center in Los Angeles, Shaq, Shareef, Shaqir, Me’arah and Amirah all got together and worked out. See the full video below, courtesy of Home Team Hoops*:

*The first 22 minutes of Shareef O’Neal: “My Time” profiles the O’Neal family work out, followed by pickup games featuring Quavo from Mingos, and then some highlights of Shareef dominating high school play. The last part includes Cal Supreme AAU action. This article will focus on the workout portion of the video.

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When watching Shaq interact with his kids, you really get the sense of how much he cares for each of them and wants them to become great basketball players. Underneath this 7-foot-1 giant is a knowledgeable individual who has a sense humor:

"“Only people to ever dunk on me, Michael Jordan and Derrick Coleman, look it up"

At one point during the video, Shaq points out to his kids that it’s not about how cool your shot looks:

"Just because you get out here doing cool moves don’t get cool on your shot. Steph Curry Aint cool on his shot. Leave it up there like I taught you, listen to James and listen to what we tell you what to do. Don’t be doing all that cool stuff because it aint gonna work. When you shoot your shot leave it up there till the ball hit the floor. Next person to make a mistake will have to run a lap. I’m here now."

One thing that does stand out during the video is the amount of effort and hard work that Shareef puts into every minute of practice, pickup games, and actual game play. Whether it’s shooting drills, free throw shots, ball handling drills, practicing moves down low or even dunk practice, Shareef puts in 110% effort. According to Shaq, practice is the key to success:

"Practice dont make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect."

Shareef does mention during the video that he wants to be better than his father, which his trainer James Hunt encourages. Having that type of mindset will translate to great things in Shareef’s basketball career.

Another really interesting fact is that Shareef keeps a book at home of all the tips and tricks that his father aka The Big Diesel, gave him (minus the shooting tips ha ha). That book will be a collector’s item!

A truly touching moment occurs when Shaq gives some advice to Shareef while practicing his free throws (at around 15:45 in the video):

"That’s your shot. Don’t let nobody ever change it."

One of Shareef’s favorite workouts, besides with his dad, is a workout he had with former NBA star, Tracy McGrady. During his time with McGrady, he learned over 100 footwork moves that he has since implemented during games.

https://twitter.com/cynreef/status/867579101581725696

In addition to Shareef, younger brother Shaqir also worked out with his dad. At 14 years old, Shaqir is smaller than Shareef was at his age and is focusing on becoming more of a guard. Out of all the family members, Shaq is the hardest on Shaqir.

Shaqir is heading into the 9th grade and focused on becoming a starter on his high school team. He has that natural shooting touch from inside and out:

The one thing Shaqir is having to get used to at this next level is the speed and strength of the game. He has that O ‘Neal blood – he’ll be fine. He will be playing in high school this upcoming year.

Also profiled in this workout are Shaq’s two daughters: Me’arah and Amirah aka Mimi. Wow, these ladies can play! Me’arah is only eleven years old, six feet tall and can ball. She can put the ball on the floor and take to the basket with no problem. According to Hunt, she is a “Baby Lisa Leslie” – wow! Mimi can hold her own as well, averaging 26 points in her freshman year at high school.

Towards the end of the O’Neals’ workout, Shaq shows off his three-point shooting touch and his trash talking game, calling himself the “Black Steph Curry.” Shareef even mentions this is nothing new with Shaq’s outside shooting:

"He always made shots when it wasn’t in the NBA game. At home, in Florida he went 10 for 10 from the 3point line can shoot."

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Athleticism, humor, and passion for the game are three attributes that make the O’Neal family a special unit.  Zona Zealots is extremely excited to see Shareef play at Arizona and who knows – maybe there might be another O’Neal down the road who will BEAR DOWN!