The Talent Is There, Byron Scott Says Shareef O'Neal Have Bright NBA Future

Updated on July 25, 2022 17:26 PM by Ella Bina

Byron Scott Believes Son O'Neal's Son

Byron Scott believes Shaquille O'Neal's Son, Shareefmay still have a future in the NBA despite a rough start in the Summer League, telling Sports the talent is there, but the 22-year-old still needs to work on little things in his game.

The Former UCLA And LSU Product Struggle

We spoke with the former Lakers head coach out at LAX this week, and he was very candid about what he saw from Shareef, sharing what he believes is the biggest reason the former UCLA and LSU product has struggled to find success playing pro ball this summer.

He thinks he looked a little bit out of place, Scott said. He wasn't ready. I think he still has a little way to go. I think the talent is there. The athleticism is there.

Sons Of Hall Of Famers

It is just some other little things he has to tweak. But Scotty Pippen Jr. looked excellent, he continued. Shareef and Scotty have been linked together all summer, considering they are both sons of Hall of Famers and were both signed to the Lakers, but Byron thinks Scotty is ahead in his development, thanks to the time he spent in college.

Comparison And Difference

Again, it goes back to showing you four years of school compared to a guy that just went a year or whatever the case may be is a big difference, Byron said.

Heart Surgery

Byron believes anybody overtly critical of Shareef's performance needs to remember that he's overcoming heart surgery and is still trying to find his way back physically.

The Medical Conditions

It would be good if you considered that, Byron said. The fact that he's not where everybody thinks he should be at this point because of some of the medical conditions he's had to deal with.

NBA – Shareef’s Path

Shareef's path to the NBA might be unconventional, but Byron says he's got the best person to get advice from his Hall of Fame pops!