Former Florida women’s basketball forward Me’Arah O’Neal, the daughter of Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, has committed to the Kentucky Wildcats through the NCAA transfer portal, according to On3’s Talia Goodman.
The 6-foot-4-inch rising junior averaged 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks over 33 starts in 2025-26 with the Gators, connecting at a 52.9% clip from the field and 38.1% from 3-point range. Her high-water mark last season came against her future team, in which she exploded for 23 points on 6-for-12 shooting (2-for-4 3pt) along with four rebounds and an assist at Kentucky’s Memorial Coliseum.
Over the course of her career, O’Neal averaged 9.0 points on 49.5% shooting and 34.0% from beyond the arc, along with a 74.3% mark at the foul line. She also grabbed 5.1 rebounds and blocked 1.0 shots, while snatching 0.9 steals and dishing out 0.8 assists per game over 68 total appearances.
O’Neal was a four-star prospect coming out of high school, according to ESPN.
Kentucky was looking for frontcourt reinforcements after the departure of both Teonni Key and Amelia Hassett, and O’Neal helps to fill that void with her size and talent. She is the Wildcats’ third transfer portal commitment of the offseason, along with former UConn Husky forward Ayanna Patterson and Alabama Crimson Tide guard Diana Collins.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Me’Arah O’Neal transfers to Kentucky after two years at Florida
Reporting by Adam Dubbin, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
