Me’Arah O’Neal, daughter of Shaquille O’Neal and Shaunie Henderson, celebrated her 18th birthday last week with a star-studded bash.
Among guests in attendance at the event were Bronny James, son of Lebron James, and the Combs twins, the daughters of Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The party, held at an arcade, was a hit with guests who enjoyed a night of fun and games. When it came time to cut her cake, Me’Arah was surrounded by her loving friends, proud parents, and supportive siblings.
Last year, Me’Arah O’Neal signed a National letter of Intent to continue her career playing college basketball for Florida Gators, choosing them over her father’s alma mater, LSU.
In an interview with ESPN, Shaquille O’Neal revealed that he took a hands-off approach when it came to Me’Arah’s decision to play college basketball for the Florida Gators.
“What I did tell her is, ‘Go where you’re needed, not where you’re wanted,'” he said, “because if you go where you’re wanted and they got other people like you, may take a while.’ I want [my kids] to have their own journey, have their own experience.”
For Me’Arah, the decision to join the Gators was not taken lightly. After visiting the campus and connecting with Coach Kelly Rae Finley, she knew she had found her place.
“I went on the Florida visit, and I had a feeling that’s where I belonged, and that I was going to be most successful if I went to go play at Florida,” she told ESPN. I felt like I connected with Coach Kelly [Rae Finely] more than I connected with any of the other schools that recruited me. She really cares about me not just on the court but off the court. That’s important for me.”
