Shaquille and Shaunie O'Neal's son reveals he will undergo heart surgery

Shaquille and Shaunie O'Neal's son Shareef is sitting out of the UCLA men's basketball team for his first year due to a "serious heart issue" that needs him to undergo surgery and extensive rest.

Shareef told TMZ Sports during an interview that the undisclosed health issue was discovered by doctors at UCLA, and will require surgery immediately to avoid any further damage to his heart.

However, he assures his fans that the condition is not life-threatening, nor is it career-ending. He expects to make his debut on the court for the Bruins yet again in the future, once he has fully recovered.

After the news broke out on the internet, the Bruin made sure to release a statement of his own on Twitter, thanking God that he is alive today. Now that the doctors have discovered something in his heart, continuing to play for the rest of his freshman year could have taken his life.

The UCLA Basketball Team recently announced that O'Neal will be taking a medical redshirt season, but will continue to take classes during this academic year.

"Recently I found out I had a serious heart issue ... I am very blessed to be here living today, one of those moments on the court could’ve been my last breathe .. I will not be able to participate in sports this year but I will be back in no time ..."

Shareef is one of Shaq's three sons with Shaunie O'Neal, and although he has been making his own name in the basketball world, he has first been accompanying his dad to numerous NBA events.

Now that his entrance to the world of collegiate basketball has been put to a quick stop, this is just a minor roadblock that's gotten in the way. Definitely, Shareef is still one of the most promising young basketball stars of their generation, and it's not because he is Shaquille O'Neal's son; it is because he has proven himself to be worthy of being called that title.