SMU picks up first 2025 commit in Jermaine O’Neal Jr.
By SAM LANCE
Class of 2025 four-star small forward Jermaine O’Neal Jr. — son of six-time NBA All-Star and legendary Indiana Pacer Jermaine O’Neal — has committed to SMU, he announced live to 247Sports.
O’Neal Jr, the 6-foot-6, 175-pound forward from Dynamic Prep (TX) and the Drive Nation Nike EYBL AAU program, chose SMU over his other finalist Vanderbilt.
“The biggest part is the love coach [Andy] Enfield and everyone else has showed me,” O’Neal Jr. said during the announcement. “They actually started recruiting me about two years ago at USC. So just that love they’ve shown over the two years has been great. And then coming to Dallas, it seemed like a great opportunity.”
In his most recent action, O’Neal Jr. helped Drive Nation reach the Peach Jam quarterfinals, where they fell to Nightrydas Elite, 67-48. O’Neal Jr. averaged 6.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in 20.8 minutes per contest. His best game was a 16-point outing vs. Expressions Elite.
“I believe I’ll be able to go to a campus and impact winning there just by knowing small detail things like switching, hedging, different playstyles, being able to read offenses and knowing when people should cut,” O’Neal Jr. previously said of his game to ZAGSBLOG. “Just small things like that. So I believe my IQ is higher that a lot of my peers.”
The small forward is Enfield’s first commit in the class of 2025.
“We are beyond proud of the incredible growth Jermaine has shown year after year,” O’Neal Sr., who coaches O’Neal Jr. at Drive Nation and Dynamic Prep, told ZAGSBLOG. “His development as a three-level scorer has been tremendous, and his vision on the offensive side of the ball continues to elevate his game. What truly sets Jermaine apart is his defense — it’s his superpower right now. He can guard positions one through four, and even sometimes five, thanks to his athleticism, which allows him to play above the rim, and his quickness, which gives him the ability to cover the entire court.
O’Neal Sr. continued:
“We couldn’t be more excited about his commitment to SMU! After considering top program like Vanderbilt, he felt that the SMU coaching staff and their vision for Jermaine’s development was the perfect fit for what he is aiming for. We know they will continue to develop him on both ends of the floor and help take his game to the next level. This is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for Jermaine at SMU!”
One of O’Neal Jr.’s best friends who plays AAU and high school with him, big man Jaden Toombs, has SMU in hot pursuit. Toombs is set to visit on Sept. 21 and will make his final college decision on Thursday, Sept. 26. Toombs and O’Neal Jr. have lived together since 8th grade.
Three-star guard Leroy Kelly, another one of O’Neal Jr.’s teammates over the summer, said the small forward will bring a winning culture to SMU.
“l like how competitive he is,” Kelly said. “He’s a super hard worker and he’s super athletic. Jermaine is a great person, super cool personality and really down to earth. That’s been my guy for a minute. I think Jermaine will bring super high energy levels to whatever team.”
O’Neal Jr.’s favorite NBA player is Steph Curry. He said what makes him unique is his memory and working hard in the classroom.
“I’m really good when it comes to math,” O’Neal Jr. said. “As soon as I see it, I just remember it forever basically.”
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