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>Former Pacers All-Star power forward, Jermaine O’Neal, had this to say about the Indiana Pacers organization not recognizing and celebrating former players:
**Jermaine O’Neal:**
>I love Budd and the work that he puts in. My statement has nothing to do with him. It is disappointing to watch teams every year recognize and celebrate the players who have been the franchise’s very best players on and off the court but yet the Pacers don’t. It’s been confusing and disappointing to say the least!
O’Neals comments were a response to an Instagram user’s comment that read:
>The disrespect for @jermaineoneal is ridiculous. I made this same statement when Brogdon wore the number @pacers do better!
As a Pacer, Jermaine O’Neal’s awards and accomplishments:
– 6x All Star
– 3x All NBA (only Pacer to ever make All-NBA 2nd Team or better)
– 2002 Most Improved Player Award winner
– Pacers franchise record holder for most blocks in a game (10)
– Pacers franchise record holder for most blocks in a season (228)
– Pacers franchise record holder for most rebounds in a playoff game (22)
by lopea182
28 Comments
One thing I love about the Knicks is the way they treat former players (except Charles Oakely LOL) and integrate them into the organization. I loved seeing all the legends show up at the playoffs, it made the history feel real
I feel like all teams should be like that. Shout out to the Spurs too, seeing Tim Duncan/David Robinson/Manu take out Wemby to dinner was special
6x All Star and 3 All NBA is definitely no small feat. I took as a given that the Pacers retired his jersey, but probably his involvement in Malice at the Palace influenced that.
Wouldve won a title if no mailice in palsce
Crazy stat: He’s the only Pacer who made the All-NBA 2nd Team in the franchise history.
22 rebounds in a playoff game? Crazy.
Crazy?
That’s Looney!
When you aren’t a big market franchise you can’t fumble low hanging fruit like this. You want people like O’Neal to be de facto ambassadors for your team after retirement.
He was top 5 in MVP voting in 2004
The Pacers don’t seem to really acknowledge anyone from that era besides Reggie. I think they’re still ashamed by the Malice.
We literally have one NBA players jersey retired and it is Reggie Miller.
So, I don’t think it is disrespect at all. It is simply the bar is crazy high for us to retire jerseys.
All star teams is such dumb marker to use.
He had 3 GREAT years for us, then his body started breakign down or he was suspended.
Love JO, have his throwback jersey actually, but Pacers simply don’t retire jerseys.
I’m from middle east and back then wth shit internet and no English me and my small number of basketball friends somehow believed he’s Shaq’s brother
Bit weird to complain about your jersey not getting retired unless you’re like Garnett-level (I know the reasoning behind his lack of retirement). Kid of embarrassing. Also he’d be a bit of a low bar for a jersey retirement
Vince Carter and Chris Bosh still haven’t got their jerseys retired by Toronto… not really a stretch that JO isn’t retired by the Pacers.
Amare and Marion don’t have their jerseys retired by the Suns either. Both are just as accomplished and don’t have the Malice in the Palice thing.
Jermaine O’Neal was a great Warrior. Shame we just missed getting him a ring
He was a major participant in one of the league’s biggest black eyes, the suspensions from which ruined a promising Pacers season. Unlike their Detroit counterparts, they never won a title to compensate. I can’t see any Indiana players from the Malice getting honored in any way by the franchise.
It could also be that the Pacers are trying to erase the Malice at the Palace era and O’neal will always be linked to that. Outside of Reggie Miller the Pacers haven’t had many stars to retire their jerseys. You have O’neal and then Paul George, but he’s still playing, so I’m not sure what other players there are to recognize and celebrate.
JO was also the highest a Pacer ever finished in MVP voting, coming in 3rd in the 03-04 season behind KG and Duncan
Jermaine. I watched you Falcon Punch a fan on the court. I don’t think they wanna bring that up again
That’s what happens when your franchise history is mired in mediocrity.
Is JO ever going to make the HOF? No. Did he win a title? No. MVP? No. Multiple first-team All-NBAs? Nope.
I liked JO as a player, but thinking he earned a number retirement is nuts.
I mean every team is different, some more stingy than others. Although im in the belief if the fanbase is ok with it then why not.
This isn’t even taking into account how good the Pacers were in the 70s ABA pre-merger. That deserves recognition, too.
We’ll celebrate you big fella.
JO is one of the greatest Pacers ever. The Malice is not an excuse to ignore him
JO was one of the best players you could easily trade for in NBA live 2005 and he will remain a legend for that.
Did Jermaine Oneal forgot the Malice? Thats the sole reason that Era of Pacers aint getting properly recognized.
I would have retired his number 2 or 3 years ago myself as a Pacer fan. He certainly earned it.
He didn’t have the same numbers, but I feel like Rik Smits was the greatest Pacer’s big man of all time. He didn’t get a lot of plays run for him, but that dude just knew how to play winning basketball and he was the backbone of that pacers team for 12 years
He might be one of the most decorated Pacers ever but Malice at the Palace is actually the 9/11 for the NBA. It is the biggest disaster for the corporate image of the league.
Fun fact: His daughter, Asija, represented USA at women’s volleyball against my country. This was mentioned on the broadcast I think and I found that it was interesting. The fathers of three players on the team were NBA players (Bob Lanier, Jermaine O’Neal and Brian Skinner)
Sounds like some… malice….in his statement