“He had to deal with medical conditions” 3xLakers Champion comes out to support Shareef O’Neal after failed Summer League stint


“He had to deal with medical conditions” 3xLakers Champion comes out  to support Shareef O’Neal after failed Summer League stint

Byron Scott talks about Shareef O'Neal

We have seen Shaquille O’Neal playing with LeBron James in All-Star games and Cleveland Cavaliers. Now we might see his elder son Shareef O’Neal making a name for himself, in the coming years. Shareef O’Neal played for the LA Lakers in the Summer League wherein he put up decent numbers. On the same note, former Lakers player and Coach Bryon Scott emphasised on the 22-year-old’s performance, calling him talented.

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In recent reports by TMZ Sports, Scott said, “I think he looked a little bit out of place. He wasn’t ready. I think he still has a little ways to go. I think the talent is there. Obviously, the athleticism is there. It’s just some other little things he has to tweak.”  Interestingly, Shareef signed with the NBA G League Ignite on Monday, according to NBA insider Shams Charania.

Scott talked about both the star kids on the block, who have played for the Lakers in summer league. Scottie Pippen Jr, even signed a 2-way contract with the Lakers, prompting his early entry into the league.

Byron Scott Shareef O’Neal while commenting on his medical issues

Shareef O'Neal surgery images
Shareef O’Neal surgery images

Los Angeles Lakers looked determined to build a super team for the future. With LeBron James currently playing in Purple and Gold, they might use his expertise and inspire young upcoming stars to play for the Lakers. He could also help in developing the budding stars, especially having known them from their childhood.

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Especially with Shaq jr. whose father shares a special bond with the 4-time NBA Champion. But Shareef’s numbers are not as staggering as his father’s. He did play a decent game in the Summer League, but couldn’t create much hype as expected of him.

Byron Scott defends the youngster and said his critics shouldn’t hold it against him because of his medical history. O’Neal underwent heart surgery in December 2018 while at UCLA. He also suffered a foot injury after transferring to Louisiana State University later.

3-time champion Scott added, “You should take that into consideration. The fact that he’s not where everybody thinks he should be at this particular point is because of some of the medical conditions that he’s had to deal with. And he’s still young. Give ’em a chance!”

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Star Kids, Shareef O’Neal, and Scottie Pippen Jr. have been linked together this offseason. Both signed with the LA Team during the Summer League. And Byron Scott believes Scottie Pippen’s son is better than Shaquille O’Neal’s, mainly because the former had a long college career.

Commenting on Scottie jr., he said, “Scottie Pippen Jr. looked really good. Again, it goes back to showing you four years of school compared to a guy that just went a year or whatever the case may be is a big difference. Scottie is NBA-ready.”

Scotty Pippien Jr. And Shreef O'Neal on Lakers Bench at Summer League Games
Scottie Pippin Jr. And Shareef O’Neal on Lakers Bench at Summer League Games

Scottie Pippen Jr. had a three-year run at Vanderbilt. He averaged 20.6 points, 4.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game during his sophomore and junior years with the Commodores. Injury-laden Shareef O’Neal, on the other hand, averaged 2.8 points and 3.1 rebounds as he played in only 2 seasons. Hence, Scott believes Pippen is more experienced and skilled than O’Neal, who still needs to polish his game in order to make an impact on the league, maybe like his father did.

Also Read: “Healthy, they can win a championship” Mark Jackson urges how LA Lakers improving their defensive voids could increase their championship ambitions

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