We all know Shaquille O’Neal, or Shaq, the famous NBA legend. But what do you know about his first-born daughter, Taahirah?
Taahirah O’Neal is a prominent name in the field of business and communication, although she only came to the limelight as Shaq’s first-born daughter.
Read on for more about the daughter of the former NBA star. This article outlines her early life, family, career, charitable endeavors, and net worth.
Early Life
Taahirah O’Neal was born on July 19, 1996, in Orlando Florida. She’s the daughter of the former NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and the businesswoman Arnetta Yardbourgh.
Her parents separated shortly after she was born. Then, Taahirah moved to Texas with her mother, where she grew up as her only child.
Despite the separation, the couple maintained a respectable relationship. Perhaps, that’s what has cemented Taahirah’s relationship with her dad.
She graduated from Clements High School in 2014. Later, she enrolled in Oglethorpe University to graduate in 2019.
Family
After Taahirah’s parents separated, her father married Shaunie O’Neal in 2002 and had four children with her.
At the time of marriage, Shaunie had a son from a previous relationship. His name is Myles Baptiste. He’s Shaquille’s only stepson, who later took O’Neal’s last name.
Although Taahirah grew up as an only child, she has four siblings from her father’s side. She has two half-brothers, Shareef and Shaqir O’Neal. Shareef O’Neal was born in 2000, and Shaqir O’Neal in 2003.
She also has two younger half-sisters. Amirah O’Neal was born in 2001, and Me’arah O’Neal in 2006. Interestingly, all her siblings have athletic tendencies.
For instance, Shareef is a professional basketball player who played for the University of California, Los Angeles from 2019 to 2020. Later, he played for Louisiana State University until 2022.
In addition, Amirah and Shaqir are college athletes, playing basketball for Texas Southern University (TSU).
As for the youngest sister Me’arah, she shines at high school basketball and already has had offers from various universities.
Taahirah O’Neal’s Relationship With Her Father
Although she grew up with her mother, Taahirah has maintained a very healthy relationship with her father.
They both appear together in graduations, birthdays, and special ceremonies. Shaquille O’Neal flew all the way to Atlanta to attend her graduation ceremony.
Not only can you see him sitting proudly in the audience, but he also gave a speech. That’s just how close they are.
Career
Taahira O’Neal started her career early on. Even before her graduation, she has acquired several positions. For instance, between 2016 and 2017, she started her career path as a social media marketing intern at AY & Associates.
In September 2017, Taahirah started working as a social media assistant in her father’s company Mine O Mine (MOM).
Three years later, in November 2020, she left her father’s company to work as a communication analyst at PepsiCo and still holds the same position.
Her role at PepsiCo entails coordinating partnerships for Pepsi Stronger Together and other national events.
In addition, she works as a social media marketing and community outreach specialist. Among her responsibilities at this post, she works on maximizing awareness about the Pepsi brand through delivering strategic action plans and innovative ideas.
Charitable Activities
Taahirah follows in the footsteps of her philanthropic mother. She has several charitable endeavors and supports various charitable organizations through community outreach and fundraising.
For example, she has actively participated in the development of several non-profit organizations in Houston, Texas, such as:
- Trevor Project
- Texas Children’s Hospital
- Black Women’s Health Imperative
Net Worth
Although Taahirah O’Neal is a star kid, she chose not to rely on her father’s wealth and status as an NBA legend and businessman. She rather chose to make herself a name and career in a different field.
It has been reported that Taahirah O’Neal’s net worth has reached $3 million. However, this information isn’t 100% reliable. She’s a bit discreet about such personal information.
Taahirah has accumulated such wealth from her position at PepsiCo. There’s no proof that she benefits financially from her father’s status as a former professional NBA player.
Conclusion
Taahira O’Neal is the firstborn daughter of former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal and the entrepreneur Arnetta Yardbourgh.
She currently holds the position of a communication analyst at PepsiCo, where she organizes national events and delivers social media marketing plans.
Taahira enjoys a close relationship with her father and five siblings. Interestingly, she’s the only one of O’Neal’s kids with no athletic tendencies.
Despite being a celebrity child, Taahira O’Neal made herself a fortune working in the field of communication and social media marketing.