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UCLA Basketball: Shareef O’Neal could be back on the court in 6 weeks

By Mike Regalado

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA - AUGUST 07: Former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal (L) and son Shareef O'Neal at Apple Music Launch Party Carpool Karaoke: The Series with James Corden on August 7, 2017 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Apple)
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA - AUGUST 07: Former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal (L) and son Shareef O'Neal at Apple Music Launch Party Carpool Karaoke: The Series with James Corden on August 7, 2017 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Apple) /
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TMZ reports that UCLA basketball freshman Shareef O’Neal could be back to working out in just over a month after having heart surgery in December.

The UCLA basketball team is going to look a lot different next season and it is not just because they are getting a new coach… the Bruins will get back two players that were lost for the season due to injury, including Shareef O’Neal.

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Before the season started, the Bruins were hit with the news that freshmen point guard Tyger Campbell and O’Neal would miss the season due to injury. Campbell is recovering from a torn ACL and should make a full recovery by next fall.

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O’Neal’s injury was slightly more serious as it was revealed that the son of Shaq would require heart surgery to fix an irregularity which was caught by UCLA doctors prior to the start of the 2018-19 season. He has been enrolled at UCLA since and has stated that he would return to play ball for the Bruins for the 2019-20 season.

O’Neal had the surgery just before Christmas and has been recovering since. He has taken to social media on several occasions, emphasizing his desire to return to the court.

Well, that day will be here in no time as TMZ Sports has reported that O’Neal should be back on the court and working out in as little as six weeks.

Though it will take some time for the young Bruin to get back into game shape, this is great news for O’Neal and the Bruins.

Next season (which begins in November), O’Neal serves to play a vital role in UCLA’s gameplan and will play alongside Bruin bigs such as Cody Riley, Jalen Hill and Moses Brown (if he chooses not to test the NBA Draft waters).