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When Shaquille O’Neal’s Son Shareef Accused Doctors of Lying After Life-Threatening Scare: ‘I Was Lied to My Whole Life’
Throwback to time when Shareef O’Neal, son of Shaq, once accused doctors of lying after facing a life-threatening health scare. He voiced his frustration. Take a look to what he said.
Shareef O’Neal's journey took a sudden and terrifying turn when he discovered his heart condition was far more serious than he or his family had ever imagined.
The son of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal was poised to make his mark in college basketball when the shocking news hit. Through his social media posts, we often see Shareef's humor, especially with his self-coined nickname "Zipper Boy," but the reality of his situation was anything but funny.
In 2018, while at UCLA, Shareef was confident that his heart monitor and the occasional medical check-ups wouldn't interfere with his college debut. However, a visit to a specialist changed everything.
The situation was so urgent that Shaq, unable to be there in person, had to FaceTime his son while his mother, Shaunie, was by his side. Shareef initially downplayed the severity, not realizing the true danger he was in.
Reflecting on that moment, Shareef shared on the “Then They Rose” podcast how difficult it was to accept the doctor's diagnosis. "I went through all those years of getting cleared and cleared... just that one test [stress test] that they found the problem I had, it kind of made me feel like I was being lied to my whole life by professional doctors," he revealed. It’s easy to understand his frustration.
For years, Shareef had been given a clean bill of health, which led him to believe he was safe. But the results of that one test were troubling enough that doctors recommended immediate open-heart surgery to address his anomalous coronary artery. Yet, despite the gravity of the situation, Shareef struggled to accept it.
Shareef had already made a name for himself as a top prospect at Crossroads High School and was ranked #32 by ESPN. He was eagerly anticipating his debut with the UCLA Bruins. Instead, the news broke that Shareef would miss the entire 2018-19 season for medical reasons, leaving him devastated.
Understandably, Shareef felt betrayed. He had thought he was perfectly fine, only to learn that he was not. The surgery took place in December 2018, just before his 19th birthday. This time, Shaq was there in person, along with Shaunie, to support him through one of the most challenging moments of his young life. But the trauma of that initial diagnosis lingered.
Shareef vividly remembers the moment he was told he needed surgery. He recalls hiding under a table, covering his ears, crying, and refusing to believe what he was hearing.
His mother, Shaunie, recounted the same scene in her memoir, Undefeated. Shareef felt deceived by the doctors who had assured him he was healthy, only to discover that one crucial test had revealed the truth.
Despite the setback, Shareef’s resilience shone through. He underwent surgery and remarkably returned to the court in just a year, making his debut in the opening game of the 2019-20 season.
Although his playing time was limited, and he eventually transferred to LSU, Shareef never gave up. He continued to chase his basketball dreams, practicing with the Lakers, going undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft, and playing in the G-League.
Looking back, Shareef admits that the doctors didn’t lie to him. Instead, he realizes that he simply didn’t grasp the seriousness of his condition at the time. Now, he’s grateful for the doctors' intervention, knowing that they may have saved his life.
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