O'Neal diagnosed with congenital heart condition Shaunie said her son was diagnosed with a right anomalous coronary artery and underwent open-heart surgery in October to correct it. The lead-up to the surgery was covered on “Basketball Wives” and shown in a sneak peak with the entire family going to the hospital.

Shareef's loss is especially personal, as he's no stranger to life's fragility. In 2018, he was diagnosed with an anomalous coronary artery, a potentially life-threatening condition that forced him to undergo open-heart surgery.

O'Neal came from a tall family. His father and mother were 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) and 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) tall, respectively, and by age 13, O'Neal was already 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) tall. He credited the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in Newark with giving him a safe place to play and keeping him off the streets.