“Beyond the Court: Shaquille O’Neal’s Passionate Fatherhood to a Family of Six”

O’Neal and his former spouse, Shaunie O’Neal, have a total of four offspring together, including Amirah, Me’arah, Shareef, and Shaqir. Furthermore, the sportsman has a daughter named Taahirah with his ex-partner Arnetta Yardbourgh, and he also has a stepson named Myles from Shaunie’s previous union.

Despite his previous breakups, O’Neal continues to maintain strong relationships with his ex-partners and co-parents his children with them. In an episode of The Pivot Podcast, the athlete expressed gratitude for both women who had given him beautiful children, acknowledging his responsibility to protect, provide, and love them forever. In an interview with Mila Kunis on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in October 2017, Shaq shared his love for spoiling his children on Christmas, playfully referring to himself as “Shaq-a-Claus.” When asked what he gets his kids for the holidays, he responded, “Everything they want.com.”

The athlete is known for being generous, but he doesn’t rush to help his children in their professional pursuits until they have proven themselves. In an interview with PEOPLE in November 2022, O’Neal emphasized that while he will support his children’s business ventures, he also expects them to work hard and present a solid resume and business plan. He believes in the importance of numbers and results, rather than just family connections. O’Neal doesn’t believe in blind favoritism, but instead encourages his children to earn their success through dedication and effort.

Upon entering the retirement home, the renowned NBA figure expressed his desire for his children to carry on his legacy and build upon the wealth he had amassed throughout his career. During an interview on the podcast 2 Lies and 1 Truth in October 2022, O’Neal spoke highly of his children’s mothers, whom he referred to as the “strongest beings on this planet.” He praised their expert planning skills and acknowledged that they deserved more recognition and respect for the work they put in. Furthermore, O’Neal affirmed that he would not refer to them as “baby mamas,” stating that they were two remarkable Black women who did an outstanding job. When asked about his favorite and least favorite moments with his children, O’Neal revealed that coming home to hear their voices was his best experience, while his worst was when they were separated and no longer around every day. For more information on O’Neal’s family, continue reading below. O’Neal’s eldest child is Taahirah, who is currently 27 years old.

In 1996, O’Neal welcomed his daughter Taahirah into the world with his ex-girlfriend yardbоurgh. Taahirah received a magna cum laude degree from оglethоrpe University in 2019 and currently works as a part-time social media assistant for her father’s entertainment company, Mine о Mine, as well as an associate analyst for PepsiCo in communications. She was involved in her father’s show Shaq Life and walked the carpet with him at the premiere of his HBO documentary series.

In 1997, Shaunie gave birth to Myles, who has made appearances on TV shows and walked the runway at Milan Fashion Week in the Dolce Gabbana Spring 2018 show. Myles enjoys DJing, which has allowed him to become close with O’Neal, who sparked his interest in the medium and even bought him his first DJ set.

Shareef, O’Neal’s son, is a rising basketball sensation who had to undergo open heart surgery due to a congenital heart abnormality he discovered before his rookie season at the University of California, Los Angeles. Shareef continued playing for Louisiana State University and UCLA before dropping out of college early to focus on going pro. He participated in NBA Summer League with the Los Angeles Lakers and inked a deal with the NBA G League Ignite in July 2022.

Amirah, O’Neal’s daughter, plays basketball for Texas Southern University as a collegiate athlete after previously being a walk-on at LSU. Shaqir, O’Neal’s son, also loves sports and is aiming to “change the narrative” about historically Black institutions and universities as a forward for TSU. Me’arah, O’Neal’s youngest daughter, attends Episcopal High School and has received offers from numerous universities for her basketball career. She recently parted ways with CyFair Elite Sports, her after-school basketball program, but her career appears to be just getting started.