Everything to Know About Shaquille O'Neal's Family (He's a Dad of 6)

Skyler Caruso

Tue, April 26, 2022 at 2:03 PM UTC

5 min read

Get to know the NBA legend's six kids: Taahirah, Myles, Shareef, Shaqir, Amirah and Me'arah

NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal is a proud father of six kids.

O'Neal and his ex-wife, Shaunie O'Neal , share four children: sons Shareef and Shaqir and daughters Amirah and Me'arah. The athlete also has a stepson, Myles, from Shaunie's previous relationship, and a daughter, Taahirah, with his former girlfriend, Arnetta Yardbourgh.

Despite both breakups, O'Neal is still on good terms with his exes .

"I have two wonderful women that have given me beautiful, gorgeous children. I have to protect and I have to provide and I have to love for them forever," he said on an episode of The Pivot Podcast .

Speaking of providing, O'Neal revealed that he loves to spoil his kids on Christmas , calling himself "Shaq-a-Claus" during an interview with Mila Kunis on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in October 2017. When Kunis asked what he gives his children for the holiday, he responded, "Everything they want.com."

While the NBA star is generous with gifts, he wants his kids to work hard. In November 2022, O'Neal explained to PEOPLE that he's willing to help his kids with their business ventures but wants to see a "resume" and "business plan" along with "numbers" to support their ideas. "I don't give a s--- what you are, because if it's done the right way, I believe in nepotism," he said.

Keep scrolling for a breakdown of O'Neal's family of six.

Taahirah O'Neal, 27

O'Neal welcomed daughter Taahirah into the world with former girlfriend Yardbourgh in 1996. She graduated magna cum laude from Oglethorpe University in 2019, as shown on TNT's Shaq Life . She is currently a communications associate analyst for PepsiCo and serves as a part-time social media assistant at her dad's entertainment company Mine O Mine, per her LinkedIn .

On Nov. 16, 2022, Taahirah posted a since-deleted photo of her and her dad smiling at the premiere of his series Shaq . "Last night, I walked my very first carpet with my bestie at the premiere of his HBO documentary series," she wrote, adding that she was "honored to be a part" of the project.

Myles O'Neal, 26

Myles was born to Shaunie in 1997 — and later took on O'Neal's surname. Myles is no stranger to the entertainment scene, as the musician and model has graced TV screens and walked runways since he was young.

He first appeared on his mom's reality television series Basketball Wives in 2010. Three years later, he appeared again on his family's show Shaunie's Home Court .

At age 21, Myles made his fashion show debut when he walked in Dolce & Gabbana's Spring 2018 runway show during Milan Fashion Week.

Myles is also interested in DJing , a passion that he and O'Neal have been able to bond over. In August 2023, the basketball player told PEOPLE that Myles has helped put together live sets for his onstage alter-ego, DJ Diesel. "We always trade songs," O'Neal said. "We've been practicing together."

The athlete even said that he helped spark Myles' interest in the art. "I remember when I just bought him his first DJ set," he said. "He'd be in a room, and I try to let my kids do everything on their own, so he'd come in, and I'd say, 'Figure it out,' and he'd come back with it figured out."

Shareef O'Neal, 23

*Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty*

Shareef is a rising basketball star — but that almost wasn't the case.

At the age of 18, just weeks before the start of his freshman season at the University of California, Los Angeles , Shareef discovered he had a congenital heart defect. The diagnosis led him to have open-heart surgery .

"It was hard. I was ranked the No. 1 player in California at the time. When they told me, I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to play basketball ever again," he said during an interview on the Now For Later podcast.

The surgery was successful and Shareef went on to play for UCLA and Louisiana State University . Ultimately, he left college early to pursue his pro career.

"I didn't have the best college career at all. I wanted to go pro. I wanted to try it," he told Eric Mika. "My dad told me something when I was in the hospital, he just looked at me and was like, 'Don't let anybody tell you that you can't do something.' [I've] stuck with that mindset."

In July 2022, Shareef signed a contract with the NBA G League Ignite after playing with the Los Angeles Lakers during NBA Summer League.

Amirah O'Neal, 21

Amirah is also a college athlete, playing basketball for Texas Southern University . Prior, she was a walk-on at her dad's alma mater , LSU.

Shaqir O'Neal, 20

Shaqir also has a passion for sports. The forward for TSU said in an interview with Overtime that he committed to the school to "change the narrative" on historically Black colleges and universities, per ESPN .

"You can expect a lot of buckets," he said in the interview. "I'm trying to get to the league."

Me'arah O'Neal, 17

The youngest O'Neal kid, Me'arah, attends Episcopal High School and recently said goodbye to her extracurricular basketball program, CyFair Elite Sports.

To mark the end of her time on her Cyfair team in July 2023, Me'arah shared photos on Instagram of herself on the court. "its officially all over… real bittersweet man imma miss it😕," she wrote in the caption. "words cannot explain how grateful i am… Cyfair❤️i love ya, thank you… #13 out."

In November 2023, Me'arah announced her commitment to play basketball at the University of Florida after receiving offers from more than a dozen schools, including her dad's alma mater, LSU.

"I felt like I connected with Coach Kelly more than I connected with any of the other schools that recruited me," Me'arah told ESPN. "She really cares about me not just on the court but off the court. That's important for me."

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