Shareef O'Neal has heart surgery

Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Shareef O'Neal underwent heart surgery on Thursday to correct an irregularity that forced hiim to meet the 2018 UCLA basketball season.

Shaquille O'Neal's son was one of the top recruits in the country before deciding to play for the Bruins. He posted about the 6 a.m. surgery on Wednesday night before his mom wrote a longer message on Thursday.

"This morning was by far my toughest moment being a Mom," Shareef's mom Shaunie O'Neal wrote in an Instagram post. "If only I could take his place today. Could I at least go with him in that operating room and hold his hand. Separating from him as he was wheeled off to surgery was heartbreaking. That's my baby!"

"I don't care how old, how big, how grown my kids get I still want to protect them. I had no control over any of this. But there is a God, I trust and believe He is in there with my baby right now and has complete control."

Shareef confirmed that he would have surgery in September. He was having a routine checkup with doctors when the UCLA medical staff found the medical issue. He was a medical redshirt for the Bruins.