Like father, like daughter. Shaquille O’Neal‘s daughter doesn’t hesitate to give credit where it’s due. After a great high school career at Episcopal High in Dallas, Me’Arah is now playing for the Florida Gators. Well, as her former teammate’s latest action on the court went viral, the 18-year-old seemingly couldn’t help but share her reaction with her Instagram followers.
She reacted to the rising star, Bella Hines’ highlight, with one word.
Taking to social media, O’Neal shared a special highlight clip of Hines’ latest game on her IG story. At one point during the third quarter of the matchup, when her opponent was closely guarding or attempting to steal the ball from Hines, she seemingly pushed her and ended that with a successful shot.
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This particular moment is going viral on social media. The prolific scorer’s friends and fans have been constantly sharing the highlights on IG, just like Me’Arah did. The 18-year-old shared it on her IG story and wrote, “yo this is diabolical b….”
The original post, for its part, was captioned, “Bella!!! This was disgusting! @bellahines.3”
It was perhaps at Cy Fair Elite when both the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s daughter and Hines got to see more of each other’s game. Speaking of having played together at the Cyfair Elite, the five-star class of 2025 prospect said, “I fit in really well with this program. Being on a team full of ranked players has just really boosted all of our exposure in general, and playing with Shaq’s daughter doesn’t hurt.”
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Hines has also recently signed a deal with the Jordan Brand as well.
Bella Hines inked a deal with Jordan Brand
She is the No. 25 overall player as per the 247Sports composite rankings. Recently, she also set a new record with 3,018 career points in high school. Her deal with Jordan Brand was secured in November 2024, with the brand’s history with NBA greats like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant playing a significant role in enticing Hines.
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In a conversation with Forbes’ Mat Issa, a Jordan Brand spokesperson noted, “We’re excited to have Bella Hines join the Jordan Brand Family. She’s a remarkable young talent who is joining an athlete roster that represents greatness for the next generation.”
On the same day, it was announced that Hines would be joining the LSU Tigers for the 2025-26 season. LSU, which won its first national title in 2023, has already seen star players like Angel Reese and Flau’Jae Johnson. Now, with Hines on the roster, the team’s future looks even brighter. This also marks a new height in Hines’ rising popularity, which is sure to only grow from here.
NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal have taken their friendly rivalry to the next level with a new challenge. The well-known NASCAR driver and the towering NBA star have enjoyed some light-hearted exchanges over the years, but things really picked up on Friday.
What started with O’Neal’s good-natured teasing about Johnson’s persistent attempts at the Daytona 500 quickly turned into a challenge.
The roots of this humorous feud trace back to O’Neal’s remarks about Johnson’s long history with the Daytona 500, having made 22 attempts.
Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #84 Family Dollar/Dollar Tree Toyota, walks the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN BET at Kansas Speedway on September 28, 2024 in… Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #84 Family Dollar/Dollar Tree Toyota, walks the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN BET at Kansas Speedway on September 28, 2024 in Kansas City, Kansas.
Sean Gardner/Getty Images
O’Neal, who is not one to shy away from making his thoughts known, wondered aloud if Johnson might be overdoing it a little. Johnson, unfazed and ever the competitor, took it in stride and even jabbed back at the NBA star by questioning his skills on the basketball court.
Turning up the heat, O’Neal threw down the gauntlet with a free-throw shooting challenge, poking fun at his career average of 52% from the line, and proposed an unusual wager. If O’Neal managed to win this friendly competition, he would earn the right to get behind the wheel of Johnson’s Daytona car. In classic Johnson fashion, he quickly responded with a counteroffer.
O’Neal suggests taking Johnson’s car for a spin, but Johnson had his own idea if he won. He posted:
“Oh, classic @SHAQ sliding in my DMs. Only place you’re driving my car is to dinner. If you win, you can design my Daytona car—how good are you with crayons? If I win, I’ve got some sweet gear for you to rock.”
Oh, classic @SHAQ sliding in my DMs. Only place you’re driving my car is to dinner. If you win, you can design my Daytona car—how good are you with crayons? If I win, I’ve got some sweet gear for you to rock. https://t.co/VH22i2jnpY
Jimmie Johnson boasts a remarkable NASCAR career, including two impressive triumphs at the Daytona 500. Despite scaling back his racing schedule, he is still a huge figure in the sport.
In a battle of the giants, NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson and NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal are taking their playful feud to the next level with a new challenge that is sure to have fans on the edge of their seats.
The feud between Johnson and O’Neal first began when the two athletes exchanged some playful banter on social media, with Johnson poking fun at O’Neal’s lack of success on the race track and O’Neal mocking Johnson’s height.
But now, the rivalry has escalated with the two superstars challenging each other to a series of competitions to determine once and for all who is the ultimate athlete.
The first challenge will be a race around a go-kart track, with Johnson confident in his racing skills and O’Neal determined to prove that size doesn’t matter when it comes to speed.
Fans can expect plenty of laughs and good-natured trash talk as these two larger-than-life personalities go head-to-head in a battle for bragging rights.
Stay tuned to see who comes out on top in this epic showdown between Jimmie Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal!
‘I know I’m not broke’: Shaquille O’Neal’s credit card was once declined in an emergency. Here’s how to avoid this issue
With an estimated net worth of $500 million, Shaquille O’Neal likely wasn’t expecting his credit card to be declined while shopping at Walmart. But that’s exactly what happened back when he was trying to make what he said was the “biggest purchase in Walmart history.”
In an interview with James Corden, Shaq says the incident occurred shortly after the legendary NBA superstar was traded from the Miami Heat to the Phoenix Suns in 2008. When he arrived in Phoenix, Arizona, the apartment that the Suns had waiting for him was empty. So Shaq, who claims to be very impatient, took a late-night trip to the local Walmart to stock up on necessities, racking up a whopping $70,000 bill.
Unfortunately, his credit card was declined twice when he tried to pay for the massive haul. “I said, ‘I know I’m not broke,’” laughed Shaq. As it turns out, the transaction was blocked and flagged by American Express as potential fraud. After clarifying the situation with AMEX over the phone, Shaq was ultimately allowed to complete the substantial transaction.
As funny as the story may be, Shaq’s experience highlights the limits and pitfalls of relying on credit cards for emergency spending, no matter how wealthy you may be. Here are a few tips on emergency spending, and the financial options that you may want to consider.
When it comes to emergency expenses, such as sudden car repairs or unforeseen health expenditures, many Americans find themselves unprepared for the situation. According to Empower, 21% of Americans surveyed said they have no emergency savings at all, while 37% said they could only afford an emergency expense of $400 or lower.
Without the resources to pay for an unexpected cost, many Americans will reach for the most accessible form of borrowed money they have: credit cards.
Nearly 9% of Americans have applied for a new credit card just to pay for a financial emergency, according to a survey from Debt.com. Meanwhile, 36% of Americans surveyed in 2024 have more credit card debt than emergency savings, according to Bankrate data.
This makes credit cards a very quick and easy way to cover an emergency expense, but credit cards are not designed for emergencies. Most credit card providers and banks, as part of their fraud-prevention initiatives, will block transactions that seem suspicious or don’t fit an established pattern of spending. Many credit cards also have spending limits, which can make your credit card a lot less handy if the charge is significant.
But most importantly, credit cards can be expensive. As of August 2024, the average interest rate on a commercial credit card was 21.76%, according to the Federal Bank of St.Louis. This exorbitant rate is one of the key reasons to avoid using credit cards for emergency needs, as the cost of such unexpected purchases will increase significantly when interest rates are applied.
Instead, consumers would be wise to plan ahead and prepare for the unexpected with an emergency fund.
Emergencies are often impossible to predict and, in some situations, can be quite costly. If you happen to lock your keys inside your car, calling someone to unlock the door could cost you as much as $150, according to JD Power. Americans with health insurance wind up paying $646 out-of-pocket (on average) for a visit to the emergency department, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation and Peterson Centre on Healthcare.
Meanwhile, American homeowners spend an average of $1,667 on home emergency expenditures, according to a 2023 survey from Angi.
These expensive situations can sneak up on you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare yourself for them. Saving some extra money in an emergency fund could help you prepare for any one of the emergencies mentioned above, and countless others. Many financial experts recommend an emergency fund that equals three to six months of living expenses, according to CNBC. If you’re able to create such a fund, you can access its money quickly with a debit or prepaid card instead of relying on a credit card.
However, if saving up for an emergency fund is difficult, you can consider less expensive alternatives. Interest rates on an emergency personal loan can be as low as 6.99%, depending on the provider and your creditworthiness, according to Lendingtree. For homeowners, the average rate on a home equity line of credit is between 8% and 10%, according to Forbes.
These credit card alternatives are not exactly ideal, as the interest rates included will make your particular emergency cost more. But with lower interest rates than that of a credit card, these alternatives are an option worth considering when emergency spending rears its ugly head.
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Shaquille O’Neal’s credit card was once declined in an emergency. Here’s how to avoid this issue
We all know Shaquille O’Neal as a legendary basketball player and successful businessman, but even the big man himself can run into financial hiccups. In a recent interview, Shaq revealed that his credit card was once declined in an emergency situation, leaving him stranded and embarrassed.
To avoid finding yourself in a similar situation, here are some tips to ensure your credit card is always ready when you need it most:
1. Monitor your spending: Keeping track of your expenses and staying within your credit limit can help prevent your card from being declined unexpectedly.
2. Update your contact information: Make sure your credit card company has your current phone number and email address on file. This will allow them to easily reach you if they suspect fraudulent activity on your account.
3. Set up alerts: Many credit card companies offer alerts for unusual activity or when you’re approaching your credit limit. Take advantage of these alerts to stay on top of your finances.
4. Have a backup plan: Carry more than one form of payment, such as a debit card or cash, in case your credit card is declined.
5. Communicate with your credit card company: If you know you’ll be making a large purchase or traveling to a new location, let your credit card company know in advance to avoid any issues with your card being declined.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your credit card is always ready when you need it most, unlike Shaquille O’Neal in that one unfortunate emergency.
