Despite His Kids Following in His Basketball Footsteps, Shaq Doesn't "Care About None of That"

Updated on 5/4/2023 at 12:10 PM

Basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal has been making headlines for decades because of his humor and athleticism, but we need to also talk about his ridiculously talented family.

Shaq is a father of six children. All of them are cool as hell and most of them play basketball just like their dad — not that Shaq cared about their athletic skills while raising them. In an October 2021 interview on the "Earn Your Leisure" podcast, he said he always prioritized his kids' education and developing their business acumen over athleticism. "You gotta have bachelor's or master's [degrees] and then if you want me to invest in one of your companies, you're going to have to present it, boom boom boom, bring it to me," he said (via NY Post). "I'll let you know, I'm not giving you nothing."

He continued, "There's one rule: education. I don't care if you play basketball. I don't care about none of that. Listen, I got six kids. I would like a doctor, somebody to own a hedge fund, a pharmacist, a lawyer, someone that owns multiple businesses, someone to take over my business. But I tell them I'm not going to hand it to you. You gotta earn it."

Ahead, get to know all of Shaq's kids better.

Taahirah O'Neal

Taahirah O'Neal was born in 1996. She is Shaq's oldest child with ex-girlfriend Arnetta Yardbourgh. She was born in Orlando, FL, but moved to Houston after attending college. Taahirah largely stays out of the public eye, choosing instead to lead a more private life. She is reportedly into philanthropy and helping others, working with groups like The Trevor Project to try to better the world.

Myles Baptiste O'Neal

Myles Baptiste O'Neal was born in 1997. He is Shaq's only stepson, and his mom is Shaq's ex-wife, Shaunie. Myles has dabbled in modeling, walking runways for designers like Givenchy, Balmain, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, and more. These days, he is primarily a DJ, a hobby he likely picked up from Shaq, who also enjoys music and DJing.

Shareef Rashaun O'Neal

Shareef Rashaun O'Neal was born in 2000. He is Shaq's oldest biological son with his ex-wife Shaunie. He's following in his dad's footsteps and is an avid basketball player. He started his college career at UCLA and was redshirted his first year. He ended up transferring to LSU, and after he graduated in 2022, he signed with the NBA G League Ignite as a veteran player.

However, he didn't always want to play basketball. When he was younger, Shareef preferred skateboarding, and he still struggles with being compared to his famous father. He told the Las Vegas Review Journal in 2017, "They're always going to say I'm not as good as him," but he's used the criticisms to improve his game.

Amirah Sanaa O'Neal

Amirah Sanaa O'Neal was born in 2001. She is Shaq's second daughter and first daughter with ex-wife Shaunie. Amirah also had an incredibly successful high school basketball career at her school in Santa Monica. Like her big brother (and dad), she chose LSU for college before transferring to Texas Southern University (TSU) to play for the school in 2021.

Shaqir Rashaun O'Neal

Shaqir Rashaun O'Neal was born in 2003. He is Shaq's youngest son with his ex-wife Shaunie. Shaqir, of course, also plays basketball. His Instagram is devoted to showing off his basketball skills and his charmed life, including photos with celebrities like Tyler, the Creator, and several posts dedicated to Kobe Bryant, whom Shaqir admired greatly. He currently plays basketball at TSU.

Me'arah Sanaa O'Neal

Me'arah Sanaa O'Neal was born in 2006. She is Shaq's youngest daughter with ex-wife Shaunie. Me'arah also plays basketball, proving that the affinity for the sport clearly runs in the family. According to her ESPN profile, she currently plays basketball for Episcopal High School in Houston, Texas. She was seemingly close with the late Kobe Bryant's daughter, Gigi, to whom she often posts tributes after her tragic passing along with Kobe in a helicopter crash in early 2020. She calls her "twin."