Shareef O'Neal, Shaq's son, has decommitted from the University of Arizona amid the FBI probe into college basketball.
Shareef tweeted "At this time I'm am opening up my recruitment due to the current events with the UofA Bball team.I would like to thank all the coaches for recruiting me. At the time my family and I think it's in my best interest to look at other options to assure my play in the NCAA next year."
He continued with a second tweet adding, "I wanted to send a personal thank you to coach miller, coach romar, coach phelps, and all the Arizona staff and fans for all the support they’ve shown my family and I."
Shareef and his NBA legend dad visited Arizona on a recruiting trip November 19, 2016. The two were seated court-side next to the UA bench.
The tweets came shortly after it was reported that head coach Sean Miller would not coach the Wildcats in Saturday's game against Oregon.
On Friday, ESPN reported that Miller was caught on FBI wiretaps discussing a $100,000 payment to sign Deandre Ayton.
The U of A and Coach Miller released statements before the games,
It reads as follows:
Statement from the University of Arizona:
The University of Arizona and head basketball coach Sean Miller have agreed that it is in the best interests of the University and the basketball program that he will not coach tonight's game in Eugene, Oregon. Associate head coach Lorenzo Romar will coach in his place. Deandre Ayton is eligible and will play tonight.
Statement from Sean Miller:
I believe it is in the best interest of our team that I not coach the game tonight. I continue to fully support the University's efforts to fully investigate this matter and am confident that I will be vindicated. For now, my thoughts are with our team. They are a great group of young men that will support each other and continue their pursuit of winning a Pac-12 championship.
