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Myron Medcalf
Multiple Authors
Me’Arah O’Neal, a standout forward at Florida as a sophomore last season and the youngest daughter of Shaquille O’Neal, announced her commitment to Kentucky on Monday via Instagram.
O’Neal averaged 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for Florida, which fired coach Kelly Rae Finley following a 5-11 finish in the SEC and a tie for 12th place in the standings. O’Neal, a 6-foot-4 forward who shot 53% overall and connected on 38% of her 3-point attempts last season, announced her intention to transfer after Finley’s dismissal.
“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.”
O’Neal’s siblings also followed in their father’s footsteps on the hardwood. Her older brother Shareef played at UCLA and LSU. Her sister Amirah played at LSU and Texas Southern. Another brother, Shaqir, averaged 5.3 points at Sacramento State last season.
However, Shaquille O’Neal recently called Me’Arah the best athlete in the crew.
“My baby is the best athlete in the family because she can do it all,” he said 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.”
O’Neal is another significant pickup for Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks, who led his team to the Sweet 16 in March.
Clara Strack, the team’s leading scorer and an all-SEC first-team selection in 2025-26, and Asia Boone, a 5-8 guard who averaged 10.1 points and made 37% of her 3-point attempts, are returning for 2026-27. They will be joined by a recruiting class that includes McDonald’s All Americans Maddyn Greenway, Savvy Swords and Emily McDonald. O’Neal and UConn transfer Ayanna Patterson will add to that talent pool through the portal.
