The Bruins will be without one of their top recruits this season.
Freshman forward Shareef O’Neal announced that he will miss the entirety of the 2018-2019 season due to medical concerns, TMZ reported. He will redshirt and said that he will possibly return to play in 2019.
O’Neal said that UCLA doctors discovered a heart issue during a routine check and stated that the issue will require surgery. He will plan to stay enrolled in school and take classes whilst in rehabilitation.
The 6-foot-10 forward was recruited to UCLA as a four-star prospect out of the nearby Crossroads School in Santa Monica. He was ranked ninth in his position in the class of 2018 and 32nd on the ESPN 100. His father is Hall of Famer and 15-time All-Star Shaquille O’Neal.