Asjia O'Neal, daughter of NBA veteran Jermaine O'Neal, has volleyball stardom within reach after heart surgery

When freshman volleyball standout Asjia O'Neal's father was a high school freshman, he made a huge impact on the basketball court. His heart was so into the game that he boldly claimed his goal was to be the "best high school player in the state, as well as the country."

Jermaine was a recruiter's dream. Some went as far as calling him the "next great thing" on a basketball court.

But following his senior year, the 6-foot-11 Jermaine O'Neal was a first-round draft choice of the Portland Trail Blazers and bypassed college to go straight to the NBA.

What followed was a roller coaster career filled with All-Star honors, big-dollar contracts and injuries, including two excruciating late-career seasons as a Boston Celtic. As it turns out, Jermaine believes he endured what he did in Boston to better prepare his family for what his daughter would experience.

Eighteen years after Jermaine was a first round pick, Asjia is a hair shy of 6-3 and has been referred to by several in the volleyball world as the "next great thing."

"Her growth potential is out of this world from the standpoint of what she can do to what she will be as a volleyball player. She already makes an impact and is just starting out," said Ryan Mitchell, who coaches Asjia at powerhouse Carroll (Southlake, Texas).

Her rise on the volleyball court has been less meteoric than her father's, and for a significant reason: She had open heart surgery in Boston during the spring of 2013.

An earlier examination by a West Coast doctor revealed a minor leak in a valve in her heart, but the O'Neals were told by doctors that the leak posed no immediate threat. They decided to have Asjia examined in Boston, where Jermaine was playing for the Celtics, and were shocked to find out it was far more serious that originally thought.

Asjia needed open-heart surgery. And soon.

Jermaine believes his struggles in Boston helped him – and Asjia – get through what she was experiencing as a 13-year-old with a heart ailment.

"Those two years in Boston were very difficult for me, because I felt like I was wearing down physically and mentally," Jermaine recalled. "But I think you go through scenarios for a reason.

"There's no doubt in my mind that my stay in Boston was for my daughter. It wasn't about basketball," he said. "She saw her father being beat down. Mentally beat down from what he was going through. She saw her father continue to get knocked down, but getting back up to get knocked back down again."

It was a series of life lessons for the entire family: Dad Jermaine, mom Mesha, son Jermaine Jr., and especially Asjia.

"When I saw Asjia hooked up to tubes and wires everywhere and awaiting heart surgery, it's one of the hardest things I've ever had to go through," said Jermaine. "I remember realizing this is real life ... this is what really matters."

Following the surgery, doctors told Asjia she needed to get out of bed as soon as possible. She needed to be moving to begin recovery.

The O'Neals sat by her bedside around the clock and finally, after about eight hours of stillness, Asjia's fingers wiggled. Then her hands. Then her feet began to move.

"Finally, she got up and took a step. It was painful and she cried, but she took another and then another. More tears, more pain but she was determined," Jermaine said. "I asked her if she wanted to stop, but she said ‘No' and pushed on."

Amazingly, Asjia was out of the hospital in three days.

"The doctors said it was the fastest they had ever seen anyone recover and get out of ICU and the hospital," said Jermaine, who has spent more time in hospitals by age 35 than most families do.

For Asjia, she had seen what her father endured and learned from it. She remembers sitting on the couch next to her dad and watching television while he iced his knees daily. His knees were so bad, they kept an ice machine by the couch in their living room.

"I was scared about the surgery and the pain, but I wanted to get home and start my recovery so I could start playing volleyball again," said Asjia, who carries an A average. "I saw how dad battled back. He worked so hard."

Though she is still learning to trust her now-healthy body, Asjia said she has no side effects, other than when she overexerts herself.

"Doctors say I should take a break when I feel dizzy or my heart starts fluttering, but that rarely happens anymore," she said. "But I rarely hold back when I'm on the court."

Mitchell calls her a "Gentle giant." That's the same way people described her dad when he was making news as a prep back in South Carolina.

"She's just a freshman ... she is so laid back off the court," said Mitchell. "But she has that 6-2-plus frame and is just a beast on the court. You could say she's a good-natured gentle giant."

Mitchell said they are always aware of the heart history, but "There is nothing that says she can't do this or do that."

He said her highest level of play is her blocking and that she is far advanced beyond most freshmen.

"She has an ability to put hands in the face of an offensive player and alter their shots just from her size. Just over the last month she has become an offensive threat," continued Mitchell. "She is beginning to hit shots that kids her age don't understand. Some her age hit straight down and everyone hits hard and down. But she's now hitting change of direction, hitting high deep shots, hitting around block and over the block."

In a recent playoff game against Gundy, Carroll was being handled at the net. Mitchell inserted Asjia in the middle. She not only changed the momentum of the game, but had a team-high 10 kills in the team's victory.

Few were surprised by Asjia's outing, but considering she started the season on the junior varsity team and had open-heart surgery 18 months ago, it would be understandable if they did.

"It's amazing that she has gone from being the key of the JV game plan to getting the ball on the varsity to being the game plan on the varsity," said Mitchell. "It's neat to be part of that evolution. She's fun to watch and she's only been playing the sport for two years."

Mitchell notes, however, that while her strengths are easily recognized, so is some of her inexperience.

"She'll make a play indicative of not having played a lot of volleyball, then she'll make an outstanding play," said Mitchell. "It's hard to believe she's only been playing two years. She's a long way from reaching her physical peak."

Jermaine considers Asjia joining the varsity team as a freshman similar to his going from high school straight to the NBA.

"She has little in common with her older teammates, most of whom are seniors. I had little in common with my Trail Blazers teammates," said Jermaine. "We both had the sports in common with our teammates, but 14 and 18-year-old girls have different interests, just like 18-year-old boys and 20 and 30-year-old men."

Asjia says being on the varsity team was difficult at first, but credited her teammates, especially Haley Hallgren, for welcoming and accepting her.

"Practice would get over and all the girls would get in their cars and drive home, while I'd be sitting and waiting for my parents to pick me up," said Asjia, who averaged 2.5 kills per set with a .440 hitting percentage. On the JV team, double-digit kills were routine.

Other than the age of the players, Asjia said the biggest differences between varsity and JV are the speed of the game and the athleticism of the girls.

"I prefer the varsity, the fast pace and the intensity," said Asjia. "I've learned so much and am so thankful for my experience."

Mitchell said they brought Asjia on slowly by design. After all, he had nine seniors and seven received college scholarships. And at least three underclassmen who will play in college.

"We knew she would make an impact when we brought her up to varsity," said Mitchell.

That "when" was during the district playoffs. Carroll ended up losing in the state quarterfinals.

In addition to her hitting, Asjia averaged better than a block per set.

"She made an impact," said Mitchell, who coached five state title teams at Lovejoy High in Texas.

Mitchell said he wouldn't be surprised if Asjia grew to be 6-5 or 6-6. After all, her dad went from 6-4 to 6-11 in less than a year between the ages of 15 and 16. Asjia recently turned 15.

Mitchell, who has coached several MaxPreps All-Americans, compares Asjia to Texas standouts Chiaka Ogbogu (former Coppell High standout) and Tiffany Baker (former Hebron standout). He also compares her to USC standout Ebony Nwanebu, who was a three-time All-American when coached by Mitchell at Lovejoy.

"Ebony was stronger and had a thundering shoulder, but Asjia will be quicker with a faster arm and more of a middle dynamite," he said.

And, like her dad, Asjia says she wants to be one of the best at her sport, just like he was at his sport.

"I want to be an All-American in volleyball and be picked as one of the best players in the nation like dad was. I think I can achieve it because I am willing to put in the work to do it," said Asjia, who has one younger brother. "I'd like to play for one of the top colleges."

Asjia is quick to refer to her parents' philosophy that the priority is to be a "perfect student." Being a "perfect athlete is optional."

"Sports is our reward for doing what we're supposed to do in the classroom," she said. "Dad reminds me ‘If you don't put in the work, you don't have good outcomes. It will hinder my success and I won't get anything out of it.'

"He gives me advice about playing like I can and not to be nervous. He says ‘Make an impact.' Mom reminds me I'm ready and calms me down, but they've never forced me to play. That's my decision."

While Jermaine said it was fun playing one-on-one basketball with Asjia when she was younger, he's thrilled she is on the court, even if it is volleyball and not basketball.

"I think she was just burned out from all my games," said Jermaine, who played 1,011 regular-season games in his NBA career.

That was Jermaine's time. This is Asjia's time.

"I have seen hundreds and hundreds of basketball games," said Asjia. "I wanted my own sport to excel in. I don't want comparisons with my dad."

She also says her parents are her inspiration.

"Dad has inspired me by playing at the highest level for 18 years and now he's balancing business and basketball, and mom has inspired me by helping and juggling his games, helping us. And they do a lot of work whether it is recognized or not."

Recognized or not, the heart and the hard work make an impact. It runs in the family.