Shareef O’Neal was part of UCLA’s highly-anticipated recruiting class for this season, but his ability to contribute on the court was put on hold after doctors discovered he had a heart problem.
Shareef, the son of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, underwent a routine medical examination in the fall and doctors discovered his heart had an electrical issue that surgery should correct.
The issue with Shareef O'Neal's heart is an electrical problem, but the surgery is supposed to fully correct it.
— Ben Bolch (@latbbolch) September 28, 2018
O’Neal is set to undergo the surgery next month. He has been supporting his Bruins teammates all along and sent this great tweet on Wednesday:
It’s crazy to think this whole time I was playing I wasn’t 100%… in about 14 days now I’ll have that extra gear that I’ve never played with before … can’t wait until I’m back fully
— Shareef O’Neal (@SSJreef) November 29, 2018
The prospect of facing heart surgery seems downright terrifying. O’Neal is approaching it with optimism and the belief that he will be even better afterwards.
