4. Jermaine O’Neal, 2000-08
Pacers scoring: 18.6 ppg, FG: 45.8%, 3P: 16.3%, FT: 71.9%
Jermaine O’Neal guided the Indiana Pacers through the early 2000s refurbishment, to Indiana’s best season of the NBA-era, and into the biggest crisis in Pacers’ history that almost sunk the franchise.
O’Neal came to Indiana at the expense of a beloved franchise fixture (Dale Davis), became a beloved franchise fixture in his own right, then left the franchise derided by the same fans who once heralded him. It took a long time for wounds to mend on both ends. What was forgotten about O’Neal during his bitter breakup with the Pacers was how tremendous he was directly before the fall.
He made six consecutive All-Star games (three as a starter) from 2002 to 2007 where he averaged 20.4 points per gmae. O’Neal led the franchise in scoring in five seasons and finished in the top three on three other occasions.
While the Pacers tried to rally during the brawl year, O’Neal scored 26.1 percent of the team’s points, the second highest figure in franchise history.
His 9,580 points are the fifth-most in franchise history. By nearly any number, Jermaine O’Neal is one of the best players in Pacers’ history.
O’Neal’s style was perfect for how the game was played at the time. Indiana could dump the ball into him in the post and O’Neal versatile low-post game went to work. He could power through players, step-back for a baseline jumper, or create space by looping around a defender and bury a pseudo-hook shot. For the better part of six years, O’Neal was the reliable force of the Indiana offense.