UCLA basketball star recruit Shareef O'Neal - son of Shaq - to sit out season for heart issue

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- UCLA freshman basketball player Shareef O'Neal - the son of Shaquille O'Neal - will sit out this season due to heart surgery.

The 6 foot 10 inch O'Neal was a four-star recruit out of Crossroads High School in Santa Monica.

"Recently I found out I had a serious heart issue," O'Neal wrote on Instagram. "I am very blessed to be here living today."

He was part of a UCLA recruiting class ranked third in the country behind Duke and Kentucky.

Another UCLA player will also be sidelined this season: Forward Alex Olesinski was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right foot that will keep him out for two to three months.

O'Neal says he expects to return to the court after a medical redshirt season in 2018-2019.