(WKYT) — Kentucky women’s basketball added a talented frontcourt player Monday with the commitment of Florida transfer Me’Arah O’Neal, the daughter of NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal.
O’Neal, a 6-foot-4 forward, announced her decision on social media after entering the NCAA transfer portal earlier this month. She picked Kentucky over several finalists, including Virginia, North Carolina and USC.
The move gives first-year Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks a proven scorer and defender as the Wildcats reload their frontcourt following the departures of Amelia Hassett and Teonni Key, both of whom exhausted their eligibility and were selected in the WNBA Draft.
O’Neal is coming off a standout sophomore season at Florida, where she averaged 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game while shooting nearly 53 percent from the field. She started all 33 games for the Gators and emerged as one of the most productive forwards in the SEC.
She also showed an expanded range during the 2025–26 season, shooting better than 38 percent from 3-point range on increased volume, adding a perimeter element to her post game.
O’Neal made a strong impression against Kentucky during the season, scoring 23 points against the Wildcats at Memorial Coliseum while shooting 6 of 12 from the floor. She recorded a career-high 24 points in a win over Memphis earlier in the year.
Originally a highly touted recruit out of Episcopal High School in Houston, O’Neal was a McDonald’s All-American and a top-50 prospect nationally. She chose Florida after high school, playing two seasons with the Gators before entering the transfer portal following a coaching change in Gainesville.
Kentucky is O’Neal’s third stop at the collegiate level, but her expected role in Lexington is significant. She joins returning star Clara Strack to form a frontcourt combination that gives the Wildcats size, scoring punch and rim protection as Brooks reshapes the roster in his first offseason with the program.
O’Neal becomes Kentucky’s latest transfer addition this spring, joining former UConn forward Ayanna Patterson and former Alabama guard Diana Collins, as the Wildcats continue to build through the transfer portal.