Royce O’Neale Gets High School Jersey Retired
Jan 14, 2022, 8:50 PM | Updated: 8:51 pm
Utah Jazz forward Royce O'Neale having his jersey retired (Photo credit: Cole Jorgenson/Utah Jazz)
(Photo credit: Cole Jorgenson/Utah Jazz)
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Jazz forward Royce O’Neale received a major honor on Friday night as his Alma Mater Harker Heights High School retired his 00 jersey number.
As a senior in 2010-22, O’Neale led Harker Heights to a 28-6 record and a trip to the 5A regional quarterfinals.
O’Neale averaged 16.7 points and 10.4 rebounds (setting a school record) per game during his final season for the Knights.
🖤❤️00 retired at Harker Heights High School ❤️🖤
Congratulations, @BucketsONeale00 pic.twitter.com/L0GOLQQDgZ
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 15, 2022
After graduating from Harker Heights, O’Neale attended the University of Denver for two seasons before transferring to play at Baylor University in his native Texas.
The forward went undrafted in 2015 and signed to for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in Germany for a season before signing with Gran Canaria in Spain.
O’Neale signed a contract with the Jazz in 2017 where he quickly found himself in the team’s regular rotation.
🛡 ⚔️ The Knights had the privilege of honoring Royce O’Neale @BucketsONeale00 .Thank you for inspiring our community. Your legacy is cemented at HH School’s Ring of Honor as a beacon of Pride, Courage, & Integrity‼️ #onceaknightalwaysaknight #reptheshield #goknights #weareKISD pic.twitter.com/UGGiCsbnn8
— HHHSKnights (@HhhsKnights) January 15, 2022
The forward has been a consistent starter over the last three seasons and plays a key defensive role for the Jazz on the perimeter. In the summer of 2020, O’Neale signed a four-year $36 million deal to remain in Utah.
This season O’Neale has started 39 games for the Jazz and is averaging a career-high 7.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.4 steals in 31.5 minutes per game while shooting 48 percent from the floor and 40 percent from the three-point line.
According to his mother Deborah who makes regular appearances at his games with the Jazz, O’Neale is the first player in the Kileen Independent School District to have his jersey retired by his high school.
