Big Blue Gets Bigger: Me'Arah O'Neal Leaves Florida for Kentucky — and Brings the Most Famous Last Name in Basketball With Her
2 months ago
BallSoHard
Me'Arah O'Neal — daughter of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, who called her the best athlete in the family — has announced her transfer from Florida to the Kentucky Wildcats after averaging 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game as a sophomore starter in SEC competition, departing following the firing of head coach Kelly Rae Finley after Florida's 18-15 season. The 6-foot-4 forward from Houston enters Lexington with two years of eligibility remaining, joining a Kentucky program that went 25-11 last season and reached the Elite Eight — providing the winning environment O'Neal had been seeking after two seasons on a Gators team that missed the NCAA Tournament entirely. We break down her full Florida career, the collapse that triggered her departure, what she brings to Kentucky's system, and why the basketball world is paying attention well beyond the famous last name.