Shareef O’Neal States He’s Healthy After Dealing With Heart & Foot Complications In College

The draft course of action for the Los Angeles Lakers extended past just getting Michigan State’s Max Christie with the 35th in general select in their next spherical.

Performing their because of diligence by finding up promising youthful expertise by the two-way contracts and Summer season League signings, the Lakers have established by themselves up with a terrific prospect pool to evaluate.

One particular of the most noteworthy signings to the Lakers’ Summer League roster is LSU’s Shareef O’Neal, the son of famous Lakers huge male Shaquille O’Neal.

The distinctive journey O’Neal went as a result of in school at UCLA and LSU will make his shot at an NBA roster with the Lakers even much more distinctive. Immediately after going through open-heart surgical treatment in 2018 and dealing with foot injuries in 2020 and 2021, O’Neal’s comeback tale has been set up for exceptional heights.

Right after his pre-draft workout with the Lakers on June 21, O’Neal was asked about the present-day standing of his overall health after recovering from both of those the heart and foot problems:

“I remember it was a handful of yrs in the past at LSU and I referred to as my mother and I was like currently was the very first working day I played basketball and I didn’t imagine about my heart. I really feel like that was the change for me. I’m balanced,” O’Neal mentioned. “I obtained a scar on my upper body, I went through that, so what. I really do not think about that no extra, it’s not gonna have an affect on me actively playing basketball. If it mentality obtained to me, I wouldn’t want to continue to engage in basketball. My total intention is to get to my plans and get to my dreams.

“I sort of taken care of that coronary heart surgical procedures like it was a sprain, I just needed to get by it and maintain having again to what I did. I never feel about it at all. Shane [Besedick] works for the Lakers, he really saved my daily life. He’s a trainer and we talked about it a minimal little bit, but I don’t have any issues, I do not believe about it. The only reminder I have is a scar on my chest but that doesn’t hassle me no additional. I’m ready to play basketball.”

When previewing O’Neal’s draft profile, the incapability to see his comprehensive entire body of do the job all through his school career was a drawback for scouts. The health hurdles O’Neal went through set back his faculty performance, though he was in a position to demonstrate spurts of what he can be final period at LSU averaging 2.9 details and 2.1 rebounds.

With this remaining a person of the major worries of getting a likelihood on O’Neal, he was capable to foreshadow the possible we will see in his game down the line when asked about not being equipped to see his total sport in higher education.

“I come to feel like I haven’t gotten a likelihood to exhibit what I utilized to do back again in large college. I do not actually count high faculty basketball as really my full prospective but I really feel like I was by no means seriously at it since I was enjoying with an unhealthy heart my complete life. Just received it set a couple of several years ago and I’m having again to it. I experience authentic very good, I operate every single working day. 1 day, that entire probable is likely to appear out. Nevertheless have to get more quickly, much better. However have to make improvements to every little thing. Individuals are heading to see true shortly nevertheless. I’m ready to engage in basketball. I’m operating, attempting to get to my plans and desires, for guaranteed. But I really feel like people haven’t seen that full Shareef yet and I’m heading to get to it for guaranteed.”

Staying capable to see the whole Shareef O’Neal is a thing Laker enthusiasts are thrilled to see during the Summer season League. The mentally tough and challenging-functioning attributes O’Neal possesses can enable translate to him achieving the potential the Lakers see in him.

Darren Collison & Derick Williams Headline Free of charge Agent Mini-Camp

With income cap implications and minimal trade assets, the Lakers are seeking for each way possible to increase the correct items to the new-look roster heading into the 2022-23 NBA period.

On June 21, the Lakers held a cost-free agent mini-camp that integrated 8 attendees. Headlining the team were being former Lakers, Darren Collison and Derrick Williams.

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