Shaquille O'Neal . At 13, she needed open-heart surgery. Basketball world mourns loss of the Orlando native. And she wants some of her fans to attend. But today, she embraces them, both on her social media and in real life. The intensity of her volleyball training was the likely cause, her doctors told her parents. Shaquille O'Neal and Shaqir O'Neal attend the 2019 NBA Awards presented by Kia on TNT at Barker Hangar on June 24, 2019 in Santa Monica, California. Shaquille O'Neal's wife and kids are Shareef, Amirah, Shaqir, and Me'arah. 3 Tennessee suspends baseball coach Vitello, FSU AD: Lagging ACC revenue 'has to change', Huskers volleyball set for outdoors to spike crowd, Road to the men's Frozen Four: Conference tournaments at a glance, College softball rankings: The top 25 teams in the NCAA this week, Previewing the 2023 college softball season: Players you need to watch, key storylines and WCWS predictions. All along, she was plotting her comeback. SHAQUILLE O'Neal is arguably one of the greatest basketball players and centers of all time. Ayesha, who recently appeared in a charity fashion show . 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 . In silence, she stood up and walked with Koehler to the car. ", Said Koehler: "She was playing at a low 60% capacity before the surgery. The third day, she could walk farther. For six weeks after her surgery, she was home in Dallas, slowly building up her strength. In 2002, the former NBA player married Shaunie O'Neal, a reality television star, but later divorced. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. Shaquille O'Neal's 2009 divorce to ex-wife Shaunie O'Neal played out in the headlines and surprised many fans. There are no statistics available for this player. as well as another daughter by an ex-girlfriend. / The four-star recruit took a big recruiting visit this weekend. According to her official university profile, she scored an average of 17.2 points a game during her junior year of high school at the Crossroads School for the Arts&Sciences. "She's the biggest hype man on the court -- you can see every emotion on her face," Eggleston said. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. ", When they walked into Najm's office, they asked, almost in unison, "Could she finish the season? fishing, mountainside furniture racing, high school volleyball, rookie league baseball, and whatever was going on at the local rodeo.Author Scott Reiss -- of . She was a middle schooler and didn't want to draw attention to her differences. One of the parents said, "We flew down here just to see your daughter." Child's father is her now ex-husband, Shaquille O'Neal. She doesn't care what the score is. What she believes in as an African American, Black woman -- be powerful about that -- speak about it in an educated way. Any long cardio exercises -- running on the treadmill or pedaling -- were out of the question. 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. I love your team. Keisha Lance Bottoms previews President Bidens trip to Selma, Tom Sizemore Dies At The Age Of 61 Following A Brain Aneurysm, Singer Juanialys music brings positive vibes, Songstress Melba Moore continues to pave the way for the next generation, Anslem ElumogoGardner shares the top 3 skills a future executive needs, Dr. Dana Laughlin gives advice for finding a therapist. Doctors told Asjia O'Neal it was too dangerous to play volleyball. * Born on November 13, 2001. * Daughter of Shaquille O'Neal and Shaunie O'Neal; Dad played for LSU from 1989-92 and was the No. I've been struggling all this time, and this is how everybody else feels after a workout? Texas' lead shrinks to one, 22-21. On the first day after the operation, she couldn't sit up, couldn't engage her core in any way, and her parents had to sit her up. It was on that last day of spring training that O'Neal's doctor told her that she shouldn't play volleyball anymore. Like many other vocal athletes, O'Neal faced backlash on social media, with comments on her profile like, "I'm never going to buy a ticket again. "I can't believe this is how you guys feel all the time," she said to Mesha. Little did she know that her chest would be sawed open again. Kevin Granger, the vice president of intercollegiate athletics at TSU, said it's a win to have two O' Neals at the institution. O'Neal's voice grows louder toward the end of the sentence, like she really wants people to hear her. His tenure in the NBA stretched for nearly 20 years. 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. 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. You're going to get full 100%.". Shortly after she was cleared to return to the gym, the coronavirus pandemic shut down sports. Heres what you need to know. Check out Shaq's dating history over the . These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. * Has three brothers, Myles, Shareef and Shaqir, and two sisters, Taahirah and Mearah; Shareef will be a member of the LSU mens basketball team in 2020-21. ON A SUNNY November day in Austin, O'Neal, wearing a burnt orange Texas long-sleeve shirt, bandana and black sweats, is seated at an outdoor table at Civil Goat Coffee, one of her favorite cafes. "But because she wanted to play sports, she needed it. During a February 2020 interview with Ballislife, Shaunie (right) marveled at Amirah's (second from the left) commitment, saying that her daughter "plays hard" from the beginning to the end of every game. Outside of basketball, he is known as a family man and is the father of six children. She hugged her family, her coach and her trainer before getting wheeled away. Joseph covers SMU, college sports and the Texas Rangers for The Dallas Morning News. Her father put it mildly. 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In 2002, two years after Asjia was born, O'Neal was named the league's most improved player, charming fans with his outgoing personality and tantalizing promise with the Indiana Pacers. Nothing's going to happen to me. Her hair blazes behind her as she walks over to her teammates for a high-five. Even before she knew the game's nuances, Asjia's hand-eye coordination was impeccable, and her height -- she was 5-10 at age 12 -- made her an immediate powerhouse. Their younger sister, MeArah, is also getting Divison I offers, but has not yet committed anywhere. O'Neal has become a leader for Texas, the national runner-up to Kentucky a year ago. * O the places I will go Dubai. Amirah's little sister, Me'arah (left) is a rising sophomore at Crossroads School, where she plays basketball. It was for his daughter. Cassy Athena/Getty Images / SSJreef/Twitter, NOW WATCH: NBA ref explains why the James Harden step-back jumper isn't traveling, Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. 2019 On the second day, she slowly sat up and walked a few steps with support. Shaunie O'Neal was born on November 27, 1974 in Wichita Falls, Texas, USA. Aug 03, 2021. Asjia's mother, Mesha, sitting in the bleachers behind the Oklahoma side of the court, says, "She looks upset." Shaquille O'Neal's Ex-Wife- Meet Shaunie O'Neal. The four-time NBA champion went on to reveal the standards his kids must uphold if they want a piece of the O'Neal money pie. On Texas' second set point -- with the fans on their feet -- Gabriel and O'Neal connect on a perfect slide attack, and a smile finally creeps across O'Neal's face after she gets the set-clinching kill. "What she has, she's had for more than a year now.". Because O'Neal trained alone at home, it was hard to tell how far she had come in her rehab. 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Me'arah, who is the youngest of Shaq's five children, plays for LA's Finest, according to Rivals.com. NCAA gymnastics 2023: Who has surprised this season? Just a few minutes ago, the scoreboard read 22-17. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Author: Benjamin Royer. 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. Highlights of the 6-foot-4 LA's Finest star show that she's already an unstoppable force like her dad. 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. UT ends regular season on high note with win over Kansas, UH's basketball rivalry with Memphis could end as soon as Sunday, Bun B, Badu, J.J. Watt celebrate RodeoHouston Southern Takeover, Exclusive: Abbott explains push against diversity hiring programs. Me'arah is still too young to commit to play in college, but given her height, her basketball genes, and her ability to dominate the post and drain shots from range, there's little doubt she'll have offers rolling in soon. She could push herself to run 30 minutes on the treadmill, something she couldn't dream of doing before surgery. "Seeing little girls come up to me and they're not just of one background, not just white girls, and they're like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm so inspired to be you. In Asjia's case, Najm made an unusual decision. 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She is also the daughter of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and former Los Angeles Laker Shaquille O'Neal. Shaq to his kids: "We ain't rich, I'm rich.". Catching her breath, Asjia narrated how a routine checkup turned into a nightmare. Sign up for Yahoo Lifes daily newsletter, See LeBron James' 16-Year-Old Son, Who's Already a Basketball Star, See The Rock's 19-Year-Old Daughter, Who's Climbing Up the WWE Ranks, Dennis Rodman's 18-Year-Old Daughter Just Made Sports History Twice, Women who had ovarian cysts share their stories, A sugar replacement may be linked to heart attacks and strokes, but don't throw it out yet. "She never wanted to accept that her heart [condition] prevented her from doing certain things that other people could easily do," Mesha said. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Asjia ONeal has been a national volleyball star since middle school. via Pinterest. All rights reserved. A fan walks over and interrupts our conversation. Shaq's 13-Year-Old Daughter is Almost Dunking. I love seeing people that look like you,' That's so important," O'Neal said. The previous day doctors had told her that recovery would be more difficult this time. That day, she tried out and made the school's B team (the school had an A, B and C team). She returned home, working with Koehler remotely to rebuild the soft tissue in her chest. She pulls up her shirt and points to three healed holes spaced equidistant below her chest. Shaquille O'Neal's sister, Ayesha Harrison-Jex, died of cancer Thursday at 40, and the TNT 'Inside the NBA' crew delivered a touching tribute. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. "MOM, SOMETHING IS very wrong. I'm rich," O'Neal said while breaking down his parenting philosophy on the podcast. "I was so young. (Mesha has missed only one home game this season, and she sent over her parents to watch her daughter play that day.). 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. And on the fourth day, she could make one round, with her aid. Shaunie O'Neal - (1998 - 2009) Shaunie O'Neal serving Monday goals. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. She started dominating in the playoffs as a freshman. PERSONAL. I remember recovering so quickly and going out there and playing and feeling great.". The doctors signed her discharge papers. Teaching them . She had a congenital heart condition, but she didn't want to use it as an excuse, so she pushed herself, sometimes to the brink, before Koehler noticed her struggling and made her leave the court. Shaquille O'Neal Expressed Displeasure Towards Michael B Jordan to 'Aunt' Nischelle Turner . Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Taahirah O'Neal is the daughter of Shaquille O'Neal and his ex-girlfriend, Arnetta Yardsborough. Her younger brother, Shaqir, second from left, will also play at TSU. Me'arah O'Neal 6'4 2024 is so special @MeArahONeall . During O'Neal's infanthood, his father Toney got arrested for drug possession and once went to federal prison for forging checks. He returned to The News in Nov. 2018. Last October, Shaq told Us Weekly that he tried to instill in his kids that school should be their top priority so that they can be "fully educated" and "fully independent" adults. Southlake Carroll junior Asjia O'Neal spikes the ball during a match on September 20, 2016. * 2019 MaxPreps California All-State Girls Team honorable mention He will pass it on to his kids; besides that, his children will feel the impending pressure of carrying that last . Joseph Hoyt, Staff Writer. In June, O'Neal received the Honda Inspiration Award, an honor given to student-athletes who have experienced extraordinary physical and/or emotional adversity. 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. Asjia needed to get to Cleveland as soon as possible for an MRI. She also earned the 2019 MaxPreps California All-State Girls Team honorable mention and is a two-time All-State honoree. His massive 7 foot 1, 350 pound frame g.