Shareef O'Neal on Surviving Heart Surgery, Being His Own Person & Chasing His NBA Dream

Join host Eric Mika as he sits down with Shareef O'Neal, a rising star in professional basketball. At the age of 18, Shareef faced a life-changing open-heart surgery that saved his life but left him uncertain about his future in basketball. Undeterred, he embarked on a remarkable path of recovery, relearning to walk, and rediscovering his confidence to prove that he can conquer any challenge.
In this candid conversation, Shareef delves into what it was like growing up with the legendary Shaquille O'Neal as his father and the weight of expectations and comparisons that accompanied his pursuit of a basketball career and how he's become more than 'Shaq's son'.
Timestamps:
[2:15] Shareef's Childhood & Figuring Out Who Liked Him For Him
[5:01] How Shareef Responds When Someone Says 'Shaq's Son'
[7:33] Finding Basketball At A Young Age
[12:10] Shareef's Open Heart Surgery
[27:15] Going Pro After College & Surgery Recovery
[33:25] His NBA Pursuits & Getting Serious
[42:15] How to Develop Yourself Off The Court
Connect with Shareef
IG: @shareefoneal
TikTok: @ssjreef
Things Referenced in the Show
Shareef's Open Heart Surgery Playlist
drive.google.com/file/d/1Vj2J...
Connect with Eric & the Now For Later Pod
Now for Later RUclips (To See Full interviews!) / @nowforlaterpodcast
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[@bernicebishop311]

No getting away from being Shaq Son you can build your own legacy 💯 💪 👌