Shaq’s daughter set to choose college. How her finalists — including Kentucky — stack up.
One of the top uncommitted recruits in the high school basketball class of 2024 will choose her college destination Sunday.
Me’Arah O’Neal, the No. 33 national prospect in her class, declared a final eight of Arizona State, Baylor, UCLA, Florida, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU and Tennessee in early August. At 6-foot-4, O’Neal is an imposing forward who ranks as one of the top frontcourt prospects in the senior class. O’Neal has the potential to make her presence known right away.
O’Neal, who plays high school ball at Episcopal School in Houston, competed on the AAU circuit with Texas-based EYBL club CyFair Elite. This summer with CyFair Elite, O’Neal averaged 7.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 19.8 minutes per game. When the Herald-Leader caught up with the talented senior at Nike Nationals in late July, O’Neal cited “strong relationships” as her priority on the recruiting trail.
And for the better part of her high school career, college coaches — those at the helm of her finalists as well as beyond — have done their best to cultivate just that.
The daughter of Naismith Hall of Famer and four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal — who played three seasons at LSU before being drafted first overall by the Orlando Magic in 1992 — has long been thought of as a Tigers lean, but an early September official visit to fellow SEC member Florida has called that possibility into question.
Me’Arah O’Neal is scheduled to announce her choice on the SportsCenter Next Instagram account at 3 p.m. EST Sunday.
Here’s a look at each of O’Neal’s eight finalists and her potential fit in their 2024 signing classes.
Arizona State
For second-year head coach Natasha Adair, there’s nowhere to go but up. The Sun Devils finished Adair’s first season 8-20 (1-17 Pac-12), but a recruiting score like O’Neal could be a key factor in turning the tide ahead of Arizona State’s jump to the Big 12.
It’s worth noting that the Sun Devils announced the signing of O’Neal’s former CyFair Elite teammate, 6-5 center Timya Grice, on Wednesday.
Baylor
The lone finalist from the Lone Star State, and only about 200 miles from O’Neal’s high school, could be a good fit for O’Neal.
Last year, head coach Nicki Collen signed one of the best post players in the class of 2023 in 6-7 center Letycia Vasconcelos, and the Bears look to have plenty of roster space — especially in the frontcourt — entering the 2024-25 season after likely graduating several players after this year.
Baylor announced the signing of 5-8 guard Ines Goryanova, the No. 71 recruit in the class of 2024, on Wednesday, but the Bears also hold a commitment from the No. 50 overall recruit in 6-1 forward Kayla Nelms.
UCLA
Not many coaches have been on a recruiting tear lately quite like Cori Close. Since O’Neal’s UCLA visit in 2021, the Bruins have brought in a handful of highly touted recruits. They’ve come all the way from Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) — 2022 No. 2 recruit Kiki Rice and 2024 standouts Kendall Dudley (No. 14) and Zania Socka (No. 27) — and right from California, like current freshman and 2023 McDonald’s All-American Amanda Muse.
Close was earlier than most on O’Neal, becoming just the second Division 1 head coach to offer her back in 2021.
In addition to Dudley and Socka for 2024, the Bruins announced the signings of the No. 24 recruit, 6-1 guard Avary Cain, as well as highly regarded international prospect, 5-10 guard Elina Aarnisalo.
Florida
Head coach Kelly Rae Finley has scored several victories over SEC competitors since the end of the Gators’ 2022-23 season, which UF finished 19-15 (5-11 SEC).
She made two major offseason hires, bringing in former UK director of player development Daniel Boice and ex-Cat Rhyne Howard as new members of the Florida coaching staff. On Tuesday, she signed No. 16 recruit, 5-9 guard Liv McGill, as well as 6-4 forward Kylee Kitts, the younger sister of South Carolina forward Chloe Kitts.
And, in an Instagram post dated Sept. 10, O’Neal announced she had taken — what appears to be — her final official visit with the Gators.
Georgia Tech
Head coach Nell Fortner got O’Neal on campus for a visit in late April, and her 2024 signing class could use a big.
On Tuesday, the Yellow Jackets announced the signings of three ranked players — 5-9 guard Dani Carnegie (No. 48), 5-4 guard Chazadi Wright (No. 79) and 5-10 guard Tianna Thompson (No. 99) — as well as 5-9 guard Gabbie Grooms.
O’Neal took a visit to Georgia Tech in late April.
Kentucky
Though the Wildcats are expected to sign lone 2024 commit, 6-5 center Ramiya White from Louisville, during the early signing period, a signature from O’Neal has the potential to spark some momentum on the recruiting trail for the Wildcats. However, O’Neal didn’t take a visit to Lexington.
Head coach Kyra Elzy leads a guard-heavy roster, but did manage to reel in a pair of frontcourt freshmen in Jordy Griggs and Janaé Walker. And, though current starting post Ajae Petty does have the option to return for a COVID year, O’Neal could much sooner find herself high on the depth chart at UK than at some of her other finalists.
LSU
Never mind the fact that O’Neal is an LSU legacy, it wouldn’t be the worst fit, either.
After the 2023 national championship, head coach Kim Mulkey reloaded her roster with high-powered transfers Hailey Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow and one of the top recruiting classes in the nation.
Even if projected lottery pick Angel Reese does hold off on the WNBA draft and chooses to return for another season, the Tigers would have more than enough room in their frontcourt. Reese, former five-star prospect Aalyah Del Rosario and O’Neal would be a dangerous trio on the depth chart.
O’Neal and her father took a visit to LSU in February before Mulkey officially offered her in April.
The Tigers announced their lone 2024 signee on Wednesday, 5-6 guard Jada Richard (No. 97 in the class).
Tennessee
Another SEC school to which O’Neal didn’t appear to take a visit, Tennessee is on the hunt for freshmen.
This season, head coach Kellie Harper uniquely leads the only team in the conference without a single freshman on its roster. After recently missing out on Socka to UCLA, the Lady Vols have just one committed member of the high school class of 2024 — 5-9 guard Kaniya Boyd, the No. 35 prospect. And Tennessee’s projected 2024-25 roster has more than enough space for a post.
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