Changing the Narrative

Shaqir O’ Neal is heading to Texas Southern University

Making the announcement via Instagram on April 30th, Shaqir O’Neal, son of NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’ Neal, is heading to Texas Southern University to further his basketball career.

During an interview with Overtime, he said he wanted to be a change agent, “I just wanted to change the narrative of culture and do something new. A lot of people are going to follow me.”

O’ Neal is a shooting guard from Creekside High School in Georgia, ranking as a three-star recruit in the High School class of 2021. He is listed as 6’7.

Head Coach Johnny Jones was the assistant coach on the staff of LSU when Shaq was playing during the late 80s into the early 90s. Jones became the head coach at LSU from 2012-2017. TSU is coming off a winning season, winning the SWAC championship. They advanced to the NCAA tournament and played the No.1 seed Michigan. The Tigers lost 82-66 in the opening round of the tournament.

Texas Southern is located in Houston, Texas. It is one of the largest HBCUs in the country, enrolling over 10,000 students and over 100 academic programs. It was founded in 1947 and became the first state-supported institution in Houston. Notable Alumni include Yolanda Adams and Michael Strahan. Megan the Stallion is currently a student.