Me’Arah O’Neal, daughter of basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, revealed Monday on social media that she’s switching universities, moving from the University of Florida to Kentucky for her basketball career.
The decision comes after O’Neal completed an impressive second year with the Gators, averaging 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. Her departure follows the dismissal of head coach Kelly Rae Finley after Florida struggled to a 5-11 conference record and tied for 12th place in the SEC during the 2025-26 season.
Taking to Instagram to share her decision, O’Neal explained her reasoning. “After a lot of thought and intentionality with my next steps, I’ve made the tough decision to enter the transfer portal,” she wrote on Instagram. “With faith and high expectations, I’m ready to power forward and embrace wherever God takes me next.”
Basketball runs deep in the O’Neal family, with Me’Arah joining her siblings who have also competed at the collegiate level. Her brother Shareef played for UCLA and LSU, sister Amirah suited up for LSU and Texas Southern, while brother Shaqir played at Sacramento State.
Her famous father has been vocal about her athletic abilities, recently praising her versatility on his podcast. “My baby is the best athlete in the family because she can do it all,” Shaquille O’Neal said about Me’Arah recently on his podcast. “She’s not an old-school player. She’s the new pick-your-type player, so I’m going to give her the title. She can shoot, she can dribble. She can’t be fazed when it comes to certain things.”
At Kentucky, O’Neal will join head coach Kenny Brooks’ program, which advanced to the Sweet 16 during March Madness. The Wildcats are bringing back their top scorer Clara Strack, an all-SEC first-team honoree, along with Asia Boone, who contributed 10.1 points per game while shooting 36.5% from beyond the arc.
Kentucky’s roster will also feature three McDonald’s All-Americans in their incoming class: Maddyn Greenway, Savvy Swords, and Emily McDonald. Additionally, the team has added UConn transfer Ayanna Patterson for the upcoming season.
