Meet Myles O’Neal, Shaquille O’Neal’s stepson: the model, DJ and reality TV star took on the ex-LA Lakers star’s surname – now the duo are making waves in the music industry as the O’Neal Boyz

Oct 15 , 2024

The younger O’Neal is a multi-hyphenate who made his runway debut with Dolce & Gabbana before landing a Coach campaign and appearing on Basketball Wives; now he’s making music with his stepdad

Since leaving basketball after years of dominating the court and winning three back-to-back championships with the LA Lakers, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has redefined what it means to be a retired athlete. As well as commentating on TNT, he’s owned hundreds of franchises for brands like 24-Hour Fitness, Five Guys and Krispy Kreme, created Shaq-branded products for retailers like Zales and Macy’s, and endorsed companies like Buick, Frosted Flakes, Reebok and Google. He also has an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a doctorate in education from Barry University.

As if that weren’t enough, the former athlete is also involved in music, spinning tunes under the name DJ Diesel, and now he’s taking the music world by storm with his stepson, Myles O’Neal. The two debuted their brand new duo O’Neal Boyz at Tomorrowland 2024, with the younger O’Neal claiming they were “making history” as the first father-son duo to take the stage.

The O’Neal Boyz have since performed at the Bootshaus nightclub in Cologne, Germany, and most recently had their biggest show yet at Shrine Expo Hall in LA. With the tagline “like father, like son”, this new collaborative effort has thrust Myles O’Neal into the spotlight. But who is the younger O’Neal and what do we know about him?

He’s Shaq’s stepson

Myles O’Neal was given his stepfather Shaquille O’Neal’s surname as a child. Photo: @mylesoneal/Instagram

Myles O’Neal, 27, is the biological son of Shaunie Henderson, Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-wife. Myles was five years old when his mother married O’Neal, whose surname he was given. On growing up with a famous father, Myles said on the Billion Dollar Babie podcast that it was a “strange childhood”, adding that he quickly adapted to fame.

He’s a model

Myles O’Neal is a professional model and often shows off his style on Instagram. Photo: @mylesoneal/Instagram

Myles O’Neal shared on the same podcast that he always thought he’d play basketball, only to realise it wasn’t his calling. So, he started working for a licensing company fresh out of high school before being discovered as a model. He made his runway debut in 2018, walking for Dolce & Gabbana at Milan Fashion Week and later landed a major campaign with Coach.