Shaquille O'Neal's Son Shareef Says 'Basketball Is Still My Main Focus'

Shareef O'Neal is still looking ahead to a career in basketball despite a heart issue that will keep him out for the entire 2018-19 season.

In an interview with TMZ Sports, O'Neal discussed his plans:

"Basketball is still my main focus," O'Neal said.

Shareef, whose father is Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, was supposed to play out his freshman campaign at UCLA this season before doctors discovered a heart issue that will require open-heart surgery.

O'Neal wants to play in the NBA like his father, but the time away from basketball will give him an opportunity to pursue other passions as well: "The NBA is something I've been wanting to do for a long time, but this is the opportunity to try to find other things if so. I mean, I've been doing a lot of stuff with fashion lately."

Shareef was an elite high school player at Crossroads School in L.A., earning a 4-star rating from 247Sports as a 2018 recruit. He also ranked as the No. 41 overall player in his class, the No. 8 power forward and the No. 4 player from the state of California.

O'Neal told TMZ Sports in September that he expects to be back on the court next year after taking a medical redshirt in the 2018-19 season.