When Jermaine O’Neal first stepped onto the hardwood, he didn’t have a father figure waiting courtside with a towel and life advice. No one to go to and say, “Dad, look. I don’t get a chance to be off.” By the time he finally met his father at 30, O’Neal had already carved his name into the league, built a career, and raised himself in more ways than one. Yet, the reunion did not last long, as thirteen months later, his father passed away. Maybe that’s why, all these years, Jermaine has tried to be everything—father, mentor, and occasional superhero—for his own kids. “I couldn’t go back and call my dad and say, ‘Hey Dad, help me out…I never had that opportunity,” he once shared.
So, he stood with her daughter when life threw her a curveball—having to redshirt her freshman year despite being a top prospect. No transfers, no drama. Instead, she stayed put and honed her game. “We don’t have conversations with coaches, we just go look at the work and the performance,” O’Neal Sr. said. Clearly, the O’Neals don’t do shortcuts, and that approach paid off for Asija with three straight All-Big 12 First Team honors and the #1 pick in the Pro Volleyball Federation. A proud papa moment, if there ever was one. After Asija, it was O’Neal Jr.’s turn, who was stepping into his basketball shoes. And once again, his father was right there with him.
All these retirement years, he never let a moment pass when it came to being a steady presence in his children’s lives. But now, with both kids off chasing dreams and parenting duties easing off, Jermaine O’Neal just might be warming up for his own comeback. The game might’ve missed him, but probably not as much as he’s missed the game.
Jermaine O’Neal recently sat down on the Nightcap podcast. He opened up about his life, career, and the years he spent away from the spotlight. As the episode wrapped, host Shannon Sharpe playfully pressed him about how fans could reach out. That’s when O’Neal dropped a little hint. “Man, you know I’m going to tell you… I’d like to come back on sometime soon, man,” O’Neal said. He also explained why he stepped away for so long. “I told you about my dad’s situation so I never want to miss a moment with my daughter at Texas cuz I didn’t want to miss a moment with my son”
It all started during the legendary 1996 draft that gave us Kobe Bryant, also introducing the league to a 17-year-old Jermaine O’Neal. He was selected 17th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers and made his NBA debut at 18. And mind you, he was the youngest player in league history at the time to do so. Experts and fans had high hopes for him. But injuries and on-court skirmishes often held him back. Still, if there’s one chapter he’s most proud of, it’s being a father of two.
Raised by a mother who juggled long hours, Jermaine and his brother had to figure out childhood on their own. Sports gave him an escape—he ran with and for the ball in football as well, but basketball gave him joy. Yet the emotional weight stayed hidden behind rebounds and blocked shots. “Not one team knew I struggled with that. Not being able to pick up the phone and call my dad and ask him, ‘Can you help me?’ Or, ‘Are you proud of me?’ Or to cherish me being drafted or my kids being born,” he once reflected.
You see, since his father’s passing in 2013, his kids have been his anchor. His daughter Asjia, now 25, is a force of nature at the University of Texas. His son is getting tall enough—and bold enough—to chase hoops like dad once did. And Jermaine? He’s packing light these days. As he said, “Now I’m an empty neester so I’m about to start hitting these rounds.” So what now? Can the man once caught in the whirlwind of the 2004 brawl, and a thousand conversations about it, finally find his peace—and his rhythm? Is there a second act in store? Maybe we will find out soon.
Jermaine O’Neal opens up on the infamous 2004 brawl
It’s been a decade since Jermaine O’Neal quietly stepped away from the NBA, and over 20 years since the moment that, in his eyes, unfairly defined his career. Now, at 46, he’s finally ready to revisit those narratives. Last year, O’Neal sat down with IndyStar to open up about what really happened that night in Detroit. The infamous 2004 brawl between the Pacers and Pistons. A moment that’s become one of the most polarizing in NBA history.
“I think the brawl itself is one of the most misunderstood and misused things,” O’Neal said. “Even from a media standpoint, it was disappointing to say the least how it was handled.” The chaos broke out after a hard foul on Ben Wallace. Things escalated fast when a fan hurled a drink at Ron Artest (now Metta Sandiford-Artest), who charged into the stands. In the melee, O’Neal was caught on camera flooring a fan who’d stormed the court. But according to him, the clip never told the full story.
“People didn’t realize that the person that I ran over and hit was the guy that was on top of Anthony Johnson.” he explained. O’Neal also revealed a little-known fact: “I never served my full suspension. I was reinstated by a federal judge. Nobody ever knew that and nor did they care enough to research it. The narrative was already made.”
It’s true that O’Neal was initially hit with a 25-game suspension for the incident, though it was later reduced to 15. And if everything he says is accurate, it’s a stark reminder of how quickly a narrative can hijack a person’s story. One headline, one viral moment, and your entire legacy can look different.
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