The 22-year-old averaged 4.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 10.9 minutes per game during the course of the preseason tournament, and according to The Athletic, O’Neal’s athleticism and background drew the interest of multiple NBA clubs.
O’Neal had to travel a difficult path to get here. While he was a student at UCLA in December 2018, he underwent open heart surgery. After leaving the Bruins in 2019, O’Neal transferred to LSU, the school attended by his father. In 2020–2021, he was additionally treated with a number of foot wounds.