Shaq wants son to play at Kentucky, Michigan State, or LSU

Shareef O'Neal is three seasons away from stepping onto NCAA hardwood, but his legendary father already knows where he should play when the time comes.

"I would like my son to play for a coach that's going to teach him next-level stuff," Shaquille O'Neal said on the Monday edition of his podcast, according to Myron Medcalf of ESPN. "I have three in mind: Johnny Jones - LSU - because I know him personally, (Kentucky coach John) Calipari, and the coach from Michigan State ... Tom Izzo.

"I've told my son many times, it's your decision and it is (his) decision. ... I need somebody that's gonna curse him out, treat him like a man. Those three guys are the ones I would like him to play for."

Shareef, a 6-foot-8 power forward, has garnered plenty of attention as a 2018 prospect and is currently listed by ESPN as the 51st-best recruit in the class.

While Shaq wouldn't mind watching his son play in East Lansing or Baton Rouge, he did admit he prefers to take in Wildcats games from Lexington.

"I've said that the reason why Kentucky (was), because the potential my father saw in me and him knowing that I was gonna go to the next level," the future NBA Hall of Famer said on the podcast. "I definitely see it in Shareef. The reason why (my father) trusted me with Dale Brown was because he knew Dale Brown could get me to that next level. Not playing-wise or coaching-wise ... discipline-wise."

Shareef is known to hold an offer from USC, but has reportedly attracted interest from the trio of schools his father has an eye on as well.