Tennessee basketball offered class of 2025 small forward Jermaine O’Neal Jr. Wednesday afternoon.
I am blessed to say I’ve received a D1 offer from the University Of Tennessee, thank you Coach Barnes and Coach Clark.@drivenationeybl @CoachRodC_UT @Vol_Hoops @TheTB5Reports pic.twitter.com/6m6bfkZwKy
— Jermaine O’Neal Jr (@JOneal7_) October 5, 2022
O’Neal is the son of former NBA star power forward Jermaine O’Neal. The elder O’Neal played 18 seasons in the NBA after going straight from high school to professional basketball.
O’Neal Sr. played for seven different teams but most notably the Indiana Pacers where he spent eight seasons and won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in the 2000-01 season.
The 6-foot-11 big man totaled six All-Star game appearances and three All-NBA seasons. O’Neal Sr. is also well known for his involvement in the Malice at the Palace during the 2004 season.
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While the former NBA star’s son is just a sophomore in high school, he is already viewed as one of the top players in the country.
O’Neal Jr. ranks as the No. 47 player in the country and No. 5 player in the state of Texas according to the On3 consensus rankings.
The 6-foot-5 prospect projects as a small forward unlike his power forward/center father.
Tennessee has no commits in its 2025 recruiting class as it is still in the heavy evaluation stage of the recruiting cycle.
Tennessee’s 2023 recruiting class ranks 12th nationally with three players committed including a top 50 shooting guard and center.