The son of former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal will miss the 2018-19 college basketball season because of a heart ailment that will require surgery, ESPN reported.
Shareef O'Neal, 18, will be medically redshirted for the season by UCLA. The 6-foot-9, 215-pound freshman forward told TMZ Sports he "felt funny" during team workouts this summer. UCLA's team doctors made O'Neal wear a heart monitor, and doctors discovered the heart ailment.
"So, the other day during routine checkup, we found a medical issue dealing with my heart," O'Neal said in the TMZ video. "And thank God UCLA medical staff found it early, but causing this I will not be playing this season and I will be a medical redshirt. But during this time off, I'll be off for a while, I'll be focusing on academics, my health, of course, and I'll just be observing to be the best player I can be next year."
"Freshman Shareef O'Neal will be sidelined for the 2018-19 season (medical)," the school said in a statement. "He will remain enrolled in class and on the men's basketball team during this redshirt year. The UCLA men's basketball program completely supports Shareef and his family as he gets this issue resolved."
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