Shaquille O’Neal’s kids certainly got their father’s DNA, as they’re all well above average height. And while being tall is a desirable trait in boys, the same standards did not apply to girls; especially during their high school years. And there came a time when Shaq’s daughter Amirah did not want to go to school simply because of that.
Advertisement
O’Neal’s ex-wife Shaunie Henderson claimed that being taller than the boys in their class led both of her daughters to get constantly teased in school. “Starting in elementary school, they were always the tallest kids in their class. But while height is cool for a boy, growing up, Mimi and Me’arah hated it.”
Her book reveals how upset Amirah was with her height.
“At one point, Mimi (Amirah) didn’t want to go to school because the boys would make fun of the fact that she was taller than they were.” – From Undefeated by Shaunie
O’Neal’s kids took after their father’s height from an early age. Shareef is now 6’10, and Amirah is currently listed at 6’2. “My kids were always taller than everyone else’s kids. That makes sense, right? Look who their dad is,” Shaunie said.
While his son did not have a problem towering over his classmates, his daughters didn’t feel the same way.
While in school, children tend to make fun of each other from time to time. But as a kid, everyone wants to fit in and not stand out. This became a problem for Amirah and it left a lasting impact on her.
“They made fun of her. When you’re a kid, you want more than anything to fit in with your peers — not stand out. Mimi was being mocked for something she had no control over.”
And the teasing wasn’t limited to just elementary school. In her book, Shaunie mentioned how Amirah grew to be 5’8 when she was in 7th grade and the teasing continued. The daughter of the Lakers legend is now 6’2. But now, she makes use of her height on the court, creating highlights with her college team.
