The Indiana Pacers have never had a player win the MVP trophy. They've never even had a first-team All-NBA member. If there's one thing that has defined the Pacers, it is how forgotten they have been, how mistreated they are by NBA media and league office alike, and how little credit their players have gotten.
Jermaine O'Neal in 2003-04 is the only Pacers player to even make the second-team All-NBA. All of that seems insane when you remember how good Paul George was at his peak, or how immense Reggie Miller was at points in the 90s.
Even Tyrese Haliburton, two years ago, was not considered one of the top-10 players in the league. While the obvious answer is his lack of scoring, that seems like such a cowardly and stupid way to reward players. Basketball is not just about scoring after all.
If there is one award that Indiana dominates in, however, it is the Most Improved Player trophy. They have had five of the last 26 winners, nearly 25% of that total. It makes sense that the Pacers do so well in the category of players whose success no one saw coming.
Maybe nobody will see their team coming this year as well.
The Pacers have a handful of players who could challenge for different individual honors this year. Unfortunately, it won't be the MVP, as even if Tyrese Haliburton returns to full strength, the Pacers play too much of a team-first style to pump any of their players' stats enough for the PRA fest that is MVP voting.
However, there is certainly a chance that Indiana could leave the season adding to their franchise's one Defensive Player of the Year, two Sixth Man of the Years (shout out Detlef Schrempf), and five Most Improved Players.
Here's how.
Big Zu gets the team going, Andrew keeps 'em moving, and Jarace breaks out
Despite the attention their offense gets, the Indiana Pacers could equally have an excellent defense. At the center of that is new acquisition Ivica Zubac. The Croatian big man is one of the more underappreciated players in the league, being recognized only as the Los Angeles Clippers superteam fell apart.
The main thing hurting Zubac's case is his lack of gaudy block numbers. Instead of being a great rim protector, he adds most of his defensive value as a possession ender. His defensive rebounding is among the best in the league.
However, if Indiana ends the season as a top-3 defense, Zubac will surely deserve recognition for the award. If the field is weak (and if Victor Wembanyama or any other options fail to play 65 games), he could run away with it.
Equally, Andrew Nembhard's case for Sixth Man of the Year depends on both team success and him finding his best role again. Nembhard is currently penciled into the starting two-guard spot. After the Pacers' gap-year ended without the breakout many were expecting, his success off the bench in their Finals run may return him to a bench unit that needs him badly.
If Nembhard can overcome any bruised ego from this move, his scoring and usage could skyrocket as a reserve for a team that lacks real creation beyond its top three players. That's a recipe for award season.
Jarace Walker, equally, is the type of lottery pick rehabilitation project that often does well in Most Improved Player conversations. Each of Indiana's five winners has been a lottery pick who broke out in their third year or beyond. Walker is tuning up to do exactly that, if he can make the rotation.
These Pacers have talent. But they are also ready to prove the NBA world wrong.
One award at a time.
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