A picture of Shareef O’Neal trying on his father Shaquille O’Neal’s old high school basketball uniform from Robert G. Cole surfaced online. The jersey and shorts unsurprisingly didn’t fit the 24-year-old as he was practically swimming in it. However, the ill-fitting uniform was not even the worst part.
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Part of the fan interest circled the grey shoes Shareef wore in the photo. Their mesh pattern clashed horribly with the violet and gold jersey and black shorts. But it was not just the mismatched shoes that caught everyone’s eye. What set the internet on fire was the background of the photo.
The background revealed Mexican pointy boots sitting in the O’Neal household. The boots have elongated toes and have been a fashion trend in Mexico since the 2010s. They are often worn in a playful and almost comical way by Mexican male musicians. This quirky detail had people talking. An Instagram meme page even took a jab at him. It shared the photo with the image caption,
“The boots… No, not the grey pair. The red ones at the back.”
The post took it up a notch by poking fun at Shareef’s fashion sense with the caption,
“What the f**k are those bro.”
The growing buzz around the post caught Shareef’s attention. Instead of taking offense, he embraced the humor. He joined the fun by sharing the meme on his Instagram story.
Shareef O’Neal really loves sneakers huh? pic.twitter.com/ebTiqcugyh
— Ballerz Worldwide (@ballaznba) September 14, 2024
By joining the joke, he hinted that Mexican pointed boots might be part of his dad’s collection. It is a reminder of how Shaq‘s larger-than-life personality keeps him open to trying anything and everything possible.
At the same time, this instance showcased Shareef’s playful sense of humor. He thus went with the flow rather than taking the joke too seriously.