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Can Calipari and Kentucky basketball land O’Neal?

By Drew Koch

TUCSON, AZ - NOVEMBER 18: NBA legend Shaquille O'neal (R) and son Shareef attend the college basketball game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Sacred Heart Pioneers at McKale Center on November 18, 2016 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
TUCSON, AZ - NOVEMBER 18: NBA legend Shaquille O'neal (R) and son Shareef attend the college basketball game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Sacred Heart Pioneers at McKale Center on November 18, 2016 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Shareef O’Neal decommitted from Arizona. Can John Calipari and the Kentucky basketball team land the son of Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal.

Shareef O’Neal decommitted from the Arizona basketball program. Yesterday it was reported that Christian Dawkins, the agent at the center of all the scandalous activity involving the NCAA and the FBI, was reported to have had conversations with Arizona head coach Sean Miller. Can John Calipari lure O’Neal to Lexington to play for the Kentucky basketball team?

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reports that the FBI wiretaps intercepted a conversation between Miller and Dawkins. During the recorded conversations, it is reported that Miller discussed paying $100,000 to ensure Deandre Ayton to commit to Arizona. The Arizona basketball program was already in hot water after former assistant coach Emmanuel ‘Book’ Richardson received $20,000 in bribes. Richardson was fired earlier this year.

With all the problems surrounding Arizona, it’s no wonder Shareef O’Neal left the program. The son of former NBA All-Star and basketball Hall of Famer, Shaquille O’Neal, will re-open his recruitment. It’s time for Coach Cal and the Kentucky basketball program to turn up the heat on O’Neal’s recruitment.

O’Neal is a 6’9″, 200-pound power forward. Rivals.com ranks O’Neal as the No. 28 prospect in the  in the Class of 2018. According to 247Sports.com he’s No. 33 nationally. Regardless of which source you like to believe, one thing is for sure, O’Neal is a talented young player.

The Wildcats signed several guards to play for the Kentucky basketball program next season. Keldon Johnson (No. 14), Tyler Harro (No. 35) and Immanuel Quickley (No. 15) are already in the fold for 2018. The Cats rank No. 6 right now, but adding a big man like O’Neal would likely bump the Wildcats up to No. 2, right behind Duke.

The Kentucky basketball program was already on O’Neal’s watch list. If John Calipari and his staff can swoop in and snatch O’Neal away from the rest of the competition, it would be a major get for the Cats.

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