Shaq's Son Shareef O'Neal Says Lonzo Ball's Brother LiAngelo Will Make the NBA

Count Shareef O'Neal among the few who believe LaVar Ball can speak an NBA career for LiAngelo into existence.

The prep star and future UCLA Bruin told TMZ Sports he believes LiAngelo will make an NBA roster, though he did hint that nepotism will play a factor.

"I think he's gonna make it on a team just 'cause his brother's already there [Lonzo], and I feel like just the platform that that family has he can make it on a team," O'Neal said.

LiAngelo, who was originally slated to play at UCLA before a shoplifting incident in China days before the start of the season, declared for the 2018 NBA draft last month. Hours later, he dropped 72 points in a Big Baller Brand-sponsored game for Prienu Vytautas.

Still, LiAngelo is not seen as a viable NBA prospect to most scouts. He was ranked outside the top 200 in his high school class (226), per 247Sports, and is not in the same strata from a skill standpoint as Lonzo or LaMelo Ball.

LiAngelo will participate in the Professional Basketball Combine in May at IMG Academy in Florida. It's unclear if he will be invited to the NBA combine.

LaVar has maintained he eventually expects LiAngelo and LaMelo to join Lonzo with the Los Angeles Lakers. He threatened to have Lonzo leave the Lakers if they do not bring LiAngelo in next season.

"If [the Lakers] don't take Gelo this year, I'll bring back Gelo here [Vytautas] to play with Melo for two years," LaVar told Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas. "Lonzo will be on his third year, and I want to let every NBA team know that Lonzo is not going to re-sign with the Lakers but will go to any team that will take all of my three boys."