Kentucky Women's Basketball Lands Florida Transfer Me'Arah O'Neal
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky women's basketball program added a versatile 6-4 forward to its roster when Me'Arah O'Neal announced her commitment on Wednesday, head coach Kenny Brooks announced. O'Neal, the daughter of Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, will join the Wildcats as a junior transfer from the University of Florida.
"We are thrilled to announce the addition of Me'Arah to our team," Brooks said in a statement. "Meezy is a talented forward with guard skills and she will fit into our system very nicely. Her SEC experience will also be beneficial for us as we embark on a challenging season."
O'Neal, from Houston, Texas, played two seasons at Florida before entering the transfer portal following the school's coaching change. Last season, she started all 33 games and averaged 13.6 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game, which ranked 17th in the Southeastern Conference. She shot 52.9 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three-point range on 37 made threes, adding 1.4 blocks and 1.36 steals per game.
In 68 games with the Gators, O'Neal recorded 615 points, 347 rebounds, 67 blocks and 54 assists. She scored 20-plus points in six games and pulled down 10-plus rebounds in seven games, accumulating seven double-doubles during the 2025-26 season. She was named the SEC co-Player of the Week on December 30, 2025, after posting 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals in a win over Furman.
O'Neal is Kentucky's third transfer portal commitment of the offseason, joining UConn transfer Ayanna Patterson and Alabama transfer Diana Collins. She will play alongside returning All-SEC center Clara Strack, who anchors the Wildcats' frontcourt. Brooks is coming off a strong first season that saw Kentucky reach the Sweet 16 and earned him National Coach of the Year honors from The Sporting News.
A McDonald's All-American in 2024, O'Neal was ranked the No. 33 prospect in her recruiting class and led Episcopal High School to the Southwest Preparatory Conference Class 4A state championship.