Shareef O’Neal is a prospect in the world of NBA basketball, but a prospect that many people are unsure of. The 22-year-old just spent Summer League with the LA Lakers and got his first taste of professional basketball. O’Neal averaged 4.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in about 11 minutes per game through the games he played and hasn’t been able to get a two-way contract for the season.
The Lakers were the best place for O’Neal to possibly get a contract considering their slim roster, but it seems there was little NBA interest in Shaq’s son. However, a path has emerged for O’Neal to prove his salt to everyone, as he will be joining the G League Ignite for the 2022/23 season.
The G League Ignite is a team that is designed to help players make the transition to NBA basketball, with many recent draft picks playing here. NBA Champion Jonathan Kuminga was on the inaugural Ignite team in 2020-21, along with Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd. Last season, they had Jaden Hardy, Marjon Beauchamp, and Dyson Daniels.
Shareef O’Neal is signing a six-figure contract with the G League Ignite, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/wxUuLpy094
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 25, 2022
O’Neal needs to develop a little more before he can say he deserves a spot in the NBA. He is a power forward but with no obvious skills that make him stand out. His ability to score is nothing special, and he isn’t a master of pulling down rebounds. An NBA-level power forward also needs speed to keep up to avoid being caught out on a switch or a mismatch with a guard.
Hopefully, the young O’Neal can find some finer points of his game that he can perfect before he gives the NBA another try. Considering Shareef is already 22 years old, he needs to push to make his NBA dreams come true, as there are prospects younger than him already in the G League and coming through future drafts.
