Jermaine O'Neal
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Jermaine Lee O'Neal Sr. (born October 13, 1978) is an American former professional
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
player. A center/
power forward The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to center (basketball), centers and are typi ...
, he had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the
1996 NBA draft The 1996 NBA draft was the 50th NBA draft, draft in the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was held on June 26, 1996–97 NBA season, 1996, at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In this draft, NBA teams took turns s ...
straight out of high school. O'Neal, at just 17 years of age, was selected by the
Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
with the 17th overall pick, and played his first professional game at 18. At the time, he was the youngest player to ever play an NBA game. O'Neal was unable to break into the first team in Portland and was traded to the
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
in 2000. In his eight seasons with the team, he was voted an
NBA All-Star The National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game. It is the main event of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Traditionally, the All-Star Game featured a conference-based format, featuring a team composed of ...
six times, made the All-NBA teams three times, and was voted the
NBA Most Improved Player The NBA's Most Improved Player (MIP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the player who has shown the most progress during the regular season compared to previous seasons. The winner is selected by a panel of sportsw ...
in the 2001–02 season. O'Neal also helped Indiana reach the
NBA playoffs The NBA playoffs is the annual Playoffs, postseason Tournament#Knockout tournaments, tournament of the National Basketball Association (NBA) held to determine the league champion. Since 1949, the four-round, best-of-seven tournament is held afte ...
six times, including the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2003–04 season. O'Neal was traded to the
Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), E ...
before the 2008–09 season began, and later played for the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
, the
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
and the
Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA), We ...
. O'Neal's final NBA season was the 2013–14 season, which he spent with the
Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
.


Early life

O'Neal was born in
Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is List of municipalities in South Carolina, the second-mo ...
. He and his older brother, Clifford, were raised by their mother, Angela Ocean.Koreen, Eric
"O'Neal era begins in Toronto"
nationalpost.com, July 8, 2008, accessed August 5, 2008.
Ocean worked hard to support her sons and left her children largely to their own devices. O'Neal found his love for athletics at a young age. Tall and quick, he enjoyed both
American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...
and basketball, but basketball was his favorite sport. Two of his basketball heroes are
Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon ( ; ; born January 21, 1963), nicknamed "the Dream", is a Nigerian and American former professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Association (NB ...
and
Bill Russell William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played Center (basketball), center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was t ...
; O'Neal often marveled at Olajuwon's approach to the game, while he loved watching Russell's video highlights of his duels with
Wilt Chamberlain Wilton Norman Chamberlain ( ; August21, 1936 – October12, 1999) was an American professional basketball player. Standing tall, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 14 seasons. He was enshrin ...
.Jermaine O'Neal Bio
, jockbio.com, accessed August 4, 2008.


High school career

Each summer, O'Neal would play for an AAU team and impressed onlookers with his athleticism and his ability to handle the ball with both hands. By the time he turned 14, the O'Neal—now a confident
guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison gu ...
who could drain three-pointers—entered Eau Claire High School of the Arts as a freshman in 1992. In his first meeting with basketball coach George Glymph, he made the bold promise to become the best player in the school's history. While O'Neal's first season was hardly noteworthy (he even played as
quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
for the Eau Claire team)JockBio: Jermaine O'Neal Facts
, jockbio.com, accessed August 4, 2008.
things changed when he grew five inches over the next year and a half, and he was inspired to develop into a defensive powerhouse like his idol, Bill Russell. Glymph built his team's defense around O'Neal, and Eau Claire featured one of the most imposing
frontcourt Basketball is a sport with five players on the court for each team at a time. Each player is assigned to different positions defined by the strategic role they play. Guard, forward and center are the three main position categories. The standard ...
s around. With O'Neal averaging 18
points A point is a small dot or the sharp tip of something. Point or points may refer to: Mathematics * Point (geometry), an entity that has a location in space or on a plane, but has no extent; more generally, an element of some abstract topologica ...
, 12
rebounds 'Rebound' is a term used in sports to describe the ball (or puck or other object of play) becoming available for possession by either opponent after an attempt to put the ball or puck into the goal has been unsuccessful. Rebounds are generally ...
and 9 blocks a game, Eau Claire captured its third straight 3A state title in 1995. The following July, the 16-year-old was able to raise his profile yet again. At an ABCD summer basketball camp, he outplayed Tim Thomas, a rising star at that time. Before long, recruiting letters from various top colleges came pouring in. O'Neal, however, also faced great pressure off the court. That same year, the
District Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...
contemplated prosecuting him for rape after he and his 15-year-old girlfriend were found partially nude in bed together by her father. The DA eventually did not prosecute O'Neal, but as the latter struggled to cope with the pressure on and off the court, Glymph stepped in, introducing discipline to his life and keeping his feet to the ground. At the same time, O'Neal's mother had met a new man, Abraham Kennedy, who also guided O'Neal along. In his senior season at Eau Claire, O'Neal's averages of 22.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 5.2 blocks per game ensured that he was voted First Team All-State, South Carolina's Player of the Year and "Mr. Basketball". Named to USA Today's All-USA Basketball Team, he earned a spot in the
McDonald's All-American Game The McDonald's All-American Game is an American all-star basketball game played each year for boys' and girls' high school basketball graduates. Consisting of the top players, each team plays a single exhibition game after the conclusion of the hi ...
as well. Despite being one of the nation's top prospects, O'Neal's future in college basketball was uncertain. He scored poorly on the
SAT The SAT ( ) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and Test score, scoring have changed several times. For much of its history, it was called the Scholastic Aptitude Test ...
s, and Glymph advised against him making the leap to the
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
. But it was only a year before that another South Carolinian—future
NBA All-Star The National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game. It is the main event of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Traditionally, the All-Star Game featured a conference-based format, featuring a team composed of ...
Kevin Garnett Kevin Maurice Garnett ( ; born May 19, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player who played 21 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Big Ticket," Garnett is considered one of the greatest power f ...
—had made a seamless transition from high school to the NBA, and O'Neal thought he could emulate Garnett.


Professional career


Portland Trail Blazers (1996–2000)

O'Neal was selected by the
Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
as the 17th pick in the
1996 NBA draft The 1996 NBA draft was the 50th NBA draft, draft in the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was held on June 26, 1996–97 NBA season, 1996, at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In this draft, NBA teams took turns s ...
.Jermaine O'Neal Bio
nba.com, accessed August 4, 2008.
The rookie was surrounded by veterans and emerging stars who could show him the ropes in Portland; forming the frontcourt with him were
Arvydas Sabonis Arvydas Romas Sabonis (; born 19 December 1964) is a Lithuanian former professional basketball player and businessman. Sabonis won the Euroscar six times and the Mr. Europa Award twice. He played in a variety of leagues, including the Spanish ...
,
Rasheed Wallace Rasheed Abdul Wallace (born September 17, 1974) is an American basketball coach and former professional player. A native of Philadelphia, Wallace played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels before declaring for the draft in 1995. ...
and Cliff Robinson. After missing the first 17 games with a bone contusion in his knee, O'Neal made his debut against the
Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA), W ...
in December. At 18 years, one month and 22 days, he became the youngest player to play in an NBA game (a mark that was later eclipsed by Andrew Bynum). O'Neal also became the youngest player at 18 years, three months and eleven days to score 20 points in a game on January 22, 1997, against the Seattle SuperSonics.


1996–97 season

Portland was mediocre in the first half of the campaign, but came to form as the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
approached and managed to finish third in the Pacific Division with a 49–33 win–loss record.1996-97 NBA Season Summary
, basketball-reference.com, accessed August 13, 2008.
While fans at the
Rose Garden A rose garden or rosarium is a garden or park, often open to the public, used to present and grow various types of garden roses, and sometimes rose species. Designs vary tremendously and roses may be displayed alongside other plants or grouped ...
harbored thoughts of an upset against the
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
in the first round of the playoffs, the Trail Blazers succumbed in four games. In O'Neal's first season, he appeared in a total of 45 games in the regular season, averaging 4.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.Jermaine O'Neal Career Stats
, nba.com, accessed August 13, 2008.
For the most part, however, he came off the bench and only averaged 10.2 minutes a game. O'Neal doubted for a while if he had made the right decision to skip college—he watched with envy as good friend and fellow prep-to-pro draftee
Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant ( ; August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, spent his entire 20-year career with t ...
was enjoying a good rookie season—but he remained confident that the best had yet to come.


1997–98 season

Despite his optimism, O'Neal found it difficult to break into the first team the following season.
Brian Grant Brian Wade Grant (born March 5, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player. He played the power forward (basketball), power forward and Center (basketball), center positions for five teams during 12 seasons in the National Basket ...
was acquired from free agency and new coach
Mike Dunleavy Sr. Michael Joseph Dunleavy Sr. (born March 21, 1954) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and former general manager of the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Clippers. He was most recently the head coach of the Tu ...
planned to use Sabonis, Wallace and Grant as the starting frontcourt, while the presence of veteran
Gary Trent Gary Dajaun Trent Sr. (born September 22, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player. He is the father of current basketball player Gary Trent Jr. Early life Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Trent played his high school ba ...
also further reduced the sophomore's chances. Thus, O'Neal was not given meaningful minutes in the early part of the campaign, although he showed glimpses of his potential with occasional double double performances when he returned from an early-season injury. Portland eventually produced a similar win–loss record as the preceding season with 46 wins, finishing fourth in the division.1997-98 NBA Season Summary
, basketball-reference.com, accessed August 14, 2008.
In the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
, Dunleavy opted to go with a more youthful lineup: before the trade deadline, he had acquired
point guard The point guard (PG), also called the one or the point, is one of the Basketball positions, five positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position and is usually the shortest player ...
Damon Stoudamire Damon Lamon Stoudamire (born September 3, 1973), nicknamed Mighty Mouse, is an American college basketball coach and former player who is currently the head coach for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The , ...
, as well as forwards Carlos Rogers and
Walt Williams Walter Ander "the Wizard" Williams (born April 16, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player. A sharpshooting 6'8" swingman, Williams attended school at the University of Maryland from 1988 to 1992, and has been credited for h ...
. The move was designed to bolster the team's chances in the playoffs against teams that were bigger and more physical. Nevertheless, for the second time in two years, the Trail Blazers were eliminated by the Lakers in four games in the first round. And just like the season before, O'Neal hardly featured for Portland, playing only three minutes in one game.


1998–99 season

The 1998–99 season was initially disrupted for several months following an impasse in the
collective bargaining Collective bargaining is a process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees aimed at agreements to regulate working salaries, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers' compensation and labour rights, rights for ...
negotiations. In the end, the league scaled down to a 50-game schedule, and Portland capitalized on the shortened campaign. Boasting one of the league's most balanced squads that also had strength in depth, the Trail Blazers chalked up an impressive 35–15 record and topped the division.1998-99 NBA Season Summary
, basketball-reference.com, accessed August 14, 2008.
Dunleavy—who would later be named
NBA Coach of the Year The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who l ...
—led his club into the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
aiming to capture the franchise's first NBA title since 1977. After sweeping the
Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA), We ...
3–0 in the first round, Portland defeated the
Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. Since the 1991–92 season, the ...
4–2 to set up a showdown with the
San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
in the Western Conference Finals. In game 2, a 3-pointer by
Sean Elliott Sean Michael Elliott (born February 2, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player who starred as a small forward in both the college and professional ranks. He attended the University of Arizona, where he had a standout career a ...
in the closing seconds gave the Spurs an 86–85 win and propelled San Antonio to win the series (the Spurs went on to win the NBA championship). O'Neal's disappointment at losing in the Conference Finals was compounded by the fact that his regular-season minutes had dropped to fewer than 10 a game for the first time, and that his contributions to the team were mostly insignificant, to begin with. He was having increasing doubts about his NBA career.


1999–00 season

However, in an unexpected move, Portland showed their willingness to invest in O'Neal by offering him a four-year contract worth $24 million.Blazers Acquire Davis From Pacers
, ''The New York Times'', September 1, 2008, accessed December 29, 2021.
However, the new deal did not translate into more playing time for the power forward in the 1999–2000 season. Portland acquired Detlef Schrempf,
Scottie Pippen Scotty Maurice Pippen Sr. (born September 25, 1965), usually spelled Scottie Pippen, is an American former professional basketball player. He played 17 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning six NBA championships with th ...
, and Steve Smith during the 1999 offseason, which meant that O'Neal was once again consigned to the bench. His statistics remained unimpressive, averaging 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game during the regular season. In the meantime, the Trail Blazers continued to build on the success of their previous campaign. They notched 59 wins in the regular season, and defeated the
Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves (often referred to as the Wolves or T-wolves) are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Divisio ...
and the Utah Jazz en route to reaching the Western Conference Finals. Up against recent perennial rivals the Los Angeles Lakers, the team relinquished a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter of the pivotal game 7, and lost 89–84. O'Neal was not heavily involved in any of this action, however. With back-to-back Conference Finals disappointments coupled with a lack of playing time, he soon announced his intention to be traded. The Trail Blazers relented in the end and sent him to the
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
alongside
Joe Kleine Joseph William Kleine (born January 4, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player who played fifteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and for the US national team. He won a gold medal as a member of the Un ...
in exchange for NBA All-Star Dale Davis.Montieth, Mark
"O'Neal voted most improved"
, usatoday.com, April 25, 2002, accessed August 15, 2008.


Indiana Pacers (2000–2008)


2000–01 season: First season with the Pacers

The trade was greeted with surprise by the Indiana fans as the Pacers had just come off an appearance in the
2000 NBA Finals The 2000 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 1999–2000 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conferen ...
, and the trade involved losing a quality player for an unproven commodity in O'Neal. The Pacers roster also saw the departures of Mark Jackson, Rik Smits and
Chris Mullin Christopher Paul Mullin (born July 30, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player, executive and coach. He is a five time NBA All-Star and four time All-NBA Team member. He is also two-time Olympic Gold medalist and a two-time ...
, and even coach
Larry Bird Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend" Bird is widely regarded a ...
stepped down. All of this meant that O'Neal arrived in
Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...
facing intense pressure and scrutiny. When O'Neal arrived at his new club, new coach
Isiah Thomas Isiah Lord Thomas III ( ; born April 30, 1961), also known as "Zeke", is an American former professional basketball player who is head coach of the Saginaw Soul of the Basketball Super League, and also an analyst for NBA TV and Fox Sports. H ...
—who had pushed for the O'Neal/Davis trade—told him that he simply needed to work harder on his game to succeed. Berkow, Ira
"The Phenomenon Who Came Back"
, ''The New York Times'', February 20, 2003, accessed December 29, 2021.
At that time, Indiana was rebuilding and still revolved around veteran All-Star
Reggie Miller Reginald Wayne Miller (born August 24, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, played his entire 18-year career in the National Basketball Assoc ...
. O'Neal turned out to be a revelation for his new club and it was not long before he established himself as a key player for his new team.Year by Year with the Pacers
, pacers.com, accessed August 17, 2008.
Starting in 80 of the 81 regular-season games he played in for the 2000–01 season, his statistics improved significantly as he averaged 12.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. The big man helped his team to a 41–41 record and the eighth playoff
seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...
;2000–01 NBA season Summary
, basketball-reference.com, accessed August 17, 2008.
he also led the league in total blocks (228, a franchise record), and led the Eastern Conference in double-doubles. O'Neal kept up his form into the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
as well, averaging almost 9.8 points and 12.5 boards a game in the first round against the
Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...
, although the series was short-lived as the latter emerged victorious in four games.


2001–02 season: First All-Star and Most Improved Player

The 2001–02 season proved to be the breakthrough season for O'Neal as he earned a trio of honors: winning the
NBA Most Improved Player Award The NBA's Most Improved Player (MIP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the player who has shown the most progress during the regular season compared to previous seasons. The winner is selected by a panel of sportsw ...
, being named an NBA All-Star, and making the All-NBA Third Team (becoming the second Pacer in history to do so after Reggie Miller). Leading his team in scoring (19.0) and rebounding (10.5), he chalked up 39 double-doubles, which was third best in the conference and eighth best in the league. Indiana recorded 42 wins and qualified for the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
once again as the eighth seed,2001-02 NBA Season Summary
, basketball-reference.com, accessed August 31, 2008.
where they faced one of the hottest teams in the league at that time, the
New Jersey Nets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...
. The Pacers lost the series in 5 games, despite forcing
overtime Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways: *by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...
twice. The Nets decided to put
Kenyon Martin Kenyon Lee Martin Sr. (born December 30, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a power forward, he played for the New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets, Los An ...
on O'Neal after the latter put up a 30-point, 11-rebound performance in game 1, and they succeeded by limiting him to just 17.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for the rest of the series. As the Pacers reflected on yet another premature end to the postseason, they knew that O'Neal was next in line to succeed the 36-year-old Miller as the new face of the franchise. At the same time, the Pacers seemed to have found players in Brad Miller,
Ron Artest Metta Sandiford-Artest (born Ronald William Artest Jr., November 13, 1979), previously legally named Metta World Peace, is an American former professional basketball player who played 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Un ...
, Al Harrington and
Jamaal Tinsley Jamaal Lee Tinsley (born February 28, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Tinsley played college basketball for the Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball, Iowa State Cyclones. F ...
who complemented O'Neal. Indiana was on the brink of becoming a legitimate threat in the East.


2002–03 season: Franchise player

The Pacers started the 2002–03 season well, winning 14 of their first 16 games,2002-03 Indiana Pacers
, basketball-reference.com, accessed September 1, 2008.
and had the best record in the East by the time the All-Star break arrived. The same team from the year before was playing better than ever, but the season fell apart in the latter half. For one, Brad Miller got injured and Indiana lost one of their most versatile players. Defensive lynchpin Artest suffered from too many emotional outbursts and this further hurt the Pacers,
, sportsecyclopedia.com, accessed September 2, 2008.
who could only finish the season 48–34. On his part, O'Neal kept up his All-Star numbers, averaging 20.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, being only one of three players in the NBA that year to pull off a 20/10. He was voted Eastern Conference Player of the Month twice, in January and April, and would go on to be named to the All-NBA Third Team again by the season's end. With no momentum heading into the playoffs, however, the Pacers were eliminated 4–2 by the underdog
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
, marking a first-round elimination for the third year in a row. Off the court, the team had also been facing family problems. Brad Miller's father-in-law and Tinsley's mother died during the season, and just before the playoffs, O'Neal's stepfather attempted suicide.Smith, Doug, "Hard times made Raptor O'Neal a family man", ''Toronto Star'', October 29, 2008. When the season ended, O'Neal tried to keep his focus on basketball and considered the possibility of joining another team since he was now a free agent. The
San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
, led by two-time NBA champion
Tim Duncan Timothy Theodore Duncan (born April 25, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, spent his entire 19-year career with the San Antonio Sp ...
, looked an interesting proposition as perennial All-Star David Robinson had just retired. Much as it was tempting for O'Neal to make the switch, he opted not to uproot his family and signed a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Pacers.Jermaine O'Neal
, basketball-reference.com, accessed September 30, 2008.
Even so, the offseason produced a few surprises for O'Neal when Isiah Thomas was replaced by
Rick Carlisle Richard Preston Carlisle ( ; born October 27, 1959) is an American basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has previously served as head coach of the Detroi ...
, and Brad Miller left for the
Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Confere ...
. Indiana was undergoing rebuilding yet again.


2003–04 season: Best record in the NBA and franchise record

Despite all the changes, O'Neal spearheaded the Pacers to a league-best 61–21 record in the 2003–04 season.2003-04 NBA Season Summary
, basketball-reference.com, accessed September 16, 2008.
He remained a constant double-double threat, averaging 20.1 points and 10.0 rebounds a game in the regular season. He also continued to rack up individual honors, making his third All-Star trip and being named to the All-NBA Second Team. He finished third in
NBA Most Valuable Player Award The NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1955–56 season to the best performing player of the regular season. Since the 2022–23 season, winners receive the Michael Jor ...
voting. Artest was instrumental to the team's success too as he enjoyed a breakthrough season, netting his first All-Star berth as well as the
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award The NBA Defensive Player of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswriters and b ...
. In the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
, Indiana gained revenge from the preceding season by sweeping Boston in the first round, before defeating the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
in the next. That sent them back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the sixth time in 11 years, where they were disposed of by eventual NBA champions
Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
. In the series-deciding sixth game, O'Neal endured a sprained knee and managed to tally 20 points and 10 rebounds, but Richard Hamilton's inspired play ensured a close victory for the Pistons.


2004–05 season: Suspension and career high in scoring

The Pacers looked to build on their previous campaign in the 2004–05 season, but all their plans came apart on November 19. In a game against the Pistons at
The Palace of Auburn Hills The Palace of Auburn Hills, commonly known as the Palace, was a multi-purpose arena located in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Opened in 1988, it was the home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Detroit Shock of the ...
, a brawl named "
The Malice at the Palace The "Malice at the Palace" (also known as the Pacers–Pistons brawl) was a fight involving players and fans that occurred during a National Basketball Association (NBA) game between the 2004–05 Indiana Pacers season, Indiana Pacers and the ...
" broke out that spilled into the stands, after a fan threw a drink on Indiana Pacer Ron Artest. O'Neal was one of the Pacers who fought with two fans who came onto the court; he ran to defend teammate
Ron Artest Metta Sandiford-Artest (born Ronald William Artest Jr., November 13, 1979), previously legally named Metta World Peace, is an American former professional basketball player who played 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Un ...
and punched one of the fans in the head so hard that teammate Scot Pollard and sportscaster Jim Gray feared that O'Neal would kill the fan. As he and his Pacer teammates left the court, many enraged fans threw snacks, drinks, and even a folding chair at O'Neal. In response to O'Neal's actions during the brawl, NBA Commissioner
David Stern David Joel Stern (September 22, 1942 – January 1, 2020) was an American lawyer and business executive who was the commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1984 to 2014. Stern oversaw NBA basketball's growth into one of t ...
suspended him for 25 games; teammates Artest and Stephen Jackson were suspended for the rest of the season and 30 games, respectively. Following an appeal just before Christmas, O'Neal won a ten-game reduction in his sentence, but this did not mitigate the damage that Indiana had already suffered. Stripped of three of its core players, the team hobbled to a 44–38 record and the sixth seed.2004-05 NBA Season Summary
, basketball-reference.com, accessed September 26, 2008.
O'Neal appeared in only 44 games, his lowest total ever with Indiana. Although his scoring average improved to 24.3 points per game, his rebounding dropped and he was no longer the same intimidating presence on defense. Things worsened when he sprained his right shoulder in March and played sparingly for the remainder of the regular season, while hoping to recover in time for the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
. The Pacers drew the Celtics in the first round, and managed to salvage their season by winning the series 4–3. O'Neal's offensive output dropped, and he shot poorly from the field. When the Pacers met the Pistons in the semifinals, they were eliminated in six games.


Battling injuries and missing playoffs (2005–08)

O'Neal continued his battle against injuries during the 2005–06 season, and played in only 51 games. Nevertheless, he averaged a team-high 20.1 points and 9.3 rebounds a game. and was voted by the fans as the starting forward for the Eastern Conference All-Star team (he was later replaced by Gilbert Arenas due to injury). The Pacers entered the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
as the sixth seed. They eventually lost to the New Jersey Nets in six games. O'Neal missed 13 more games in the 2006–07 season as the Pacers missed the playoffs altogether. O'Neal continued to miss huge amounts of time, especially towards the end of the season, as the Pacers struggled to compete. O'Neal's production and stats declined as well. He had two years and $44 million left on his deal. The Pacers were looking to move the huge contract. On June 25, 2008, it was reported that O'Neal and the 41st pick in the
2008 NBA draft The 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008, at the The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this NBA draft, draft, National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took t ...
, Nathan Jawai would be sent to
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
for T. J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovič, Maceo Baston and the 17th pick in the
2008 NBA draft The 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008, at the The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this NBA draft, draft, National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took t ...
( Roy Hibbert). The trade was finalized on July 9, 2008.


Toronto Raptors (2008–2009)

O'Neal was given jersey #6 for the Raptors since his number with the Pacers (#7) was already owned by
Andrea Bargnani Andrea Bargnani (; born 26 October 1985) is an Italian former professional basketball player. The power forward- center played for Benetton Treviso in the Italian LBA and the EuroLeague before being selected first overall in the 2006 NBA draf ...
. While he was expected to combine with Toronto's three-time All-Star
Chris Bosh Christopher Wesson Bosh (born March 24, 1984) is an American former professional basketball player. A Texas Mr. Basketball in high school, he played one season of college basketball for Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball, Georgia Tech ...
to form a strong frontcourt and provide greater rebounding and interior defense for the Raptors, O'Neal's arrival was dwarfed by the Elton Brand signing pulled off by division rivals
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
. O'Neal wasted no time in imposing his style on his new team: in the season opener at Philadelphia, he pointed to hecklers in the home crowd after making a dunk; in the team's second game, Toronto's center blocked a dunk from Golden State's Brandan Wright and thereafter waved a finger in disapproval. Even so, it took O'Neal some time to find his offensive game: he reached the 20-point mark just twice in his first 23 games, before notching three straight thereafter. By the All-Star break, injuries had ruled the big man out for almost a quarter of Toronto's games, while Bargnani regained his starting spot with a streak of solid performances. This, coupled with the Raptors entering the break placed 14th in the conference and 13 games under .500, Toronto General Manager Bryan Colangelo looked to move O'Neal to bring in a wing player and free up salary space. On February 13, 2009, O'Neal and
Jamario Moon Jamario Raman Moon (born June 13, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for one season at Meridian Community College and began his professional career with teams in the United States Basketbal ...
were traded to
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
for Shawn Marion and
Marcus Banks Arthur Lemarcus Banks III (born November 19, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball, UNLV Runnin' Rebels, where he was Co-Defensive Player of the Year as a ...
; the latter two had been traded to Miami a year earlier for
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), commonly known as Shaq ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. He is a and Center (basketball), center ...
. In his 41 games as a Raptor, O'Neal averaged 13.5 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks per game.


Miami Heat (2009–2010)

The Heat went 7–5 in O'Neal's first 12 games with his new club—including a victory over the Raptors at the
Air Canada Centre Scotiabank Arena (SBA), formerly known as Air Canada Centre (ACC), is a multi-purposed arena located on Bay Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the home of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and t ...
—as they looked to secure the fourth seed for the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
. The Heat eventually concluded the regular season with a 43–39 record and was seeded fifth.2008-09 NBA Season Summary
, basketball-reference.com, accessed July 14, 2009.
In the first round of the playoffs, the
Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
defeated the Heat in seven games. In the 2009–10 season, O'Neal started in all 70 games he played in and produced numbers identical to his career averages. Miami concluded the regular season as the fifth seed for the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
, and were up against the
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
. Boston won the series 4–1.


Boston Celtics (2010–2012)

On July 14, 2010, O'Neal signed a two-year deal with the Boston Celtics. He had a difficult
season A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...
with his new team, missing 58 regular-season games with left knee and left wrist injuries, playing only 24 games and started in 10 of them, averaging 5.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 18.0 minutes per game. O'Neal came back in the starting line-up for the 2011 NBA playoffs. Boston (third seed) faced the New York Knicks in the first round. O'Neal had a good series, especially in game 1 with 12 points and 5 blocks. Boston swept the Knicks, but lost to the eventual Eastern Conference champions, the Miami Heat, in the second round in five games. On April 20, 2012, he was waived by the Celtics following season-ending wrist surgery. In 25 games, he averaged 5.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.


Phoenix Suns (2012–2013)

On August 15, 2012, O'Neal signed a one-year contract with the
Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA), We ...
. O'Neal cited the Suns' training staff as a major factor in his decision to sign with the team. He has been considered the leader around the locker room to replace the likes of
Steve Nash Stephen John Nash (born 7 February 1974) is a Canadian professional basketball coach and former player who most recently served as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 18 seasons in the NBA, ...
and
Grant Hill Grant Henry Hill (born October 5, 1972) is an American professional basketball executive and former player who is a co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and a part-owner of Orlando City SC of Major League ...
. As a result, O'Neal became a new captain of the team along with Jared Dudley. On November 21, 2012, O'Neal scored 17 points off of 7 of 9 shooting off the bench to help defeat the
Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
114–87. Two days later, O'Neal would record his first double-double with the Suns by scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in a close 111–108 overtime victory over the
New Orleans Hornets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...
. On January 23, 2013, O'Neal was sidelined by an irregular heartbeat. O'Neal would return on February 5, 2013, against the
Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...
before the All-Star break. On February 27, 2013, O'Neal scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a 105–101 overtime victory against the
San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
. In March 2013, O'Neal took time off from the team to be with his daughter, Asjia, who underwent surgery to repair a leaky heart valve.


Golden State Warriors (2013–2014)

On July 23, 2013, O'Neal signed with the
Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
. On December 13, 2013, O'Neal underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist. He returned to action on February 4, 2014. Feeling exhausted, O'Neal decided to sit out the
2014–15 NBA season The 2014–15 NBA season was the 69th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The NBA draft took place on June 26, 2014, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where Andrew Wiggins was selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. The ...
. Despite receiving interest from several teams during the season, O'Neal remained out of action and instead decided to focus on his family. In February 2016, O'Neal noted that he had not yet officially retired from the NBA.


National team career

Following his breakout season in 2000–01, O'Neal earned a spot on Team USA for the 2001
Goodwill Games The Goodwill Games were an international sports competition created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s. In 1979, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan caused the United States and other ...
. The Americans won all of their five games and the gold medal, and O'Neal led the team in blocks and shooting percentage, while finishing second in points and rebounds. The 2002 NBA Most Improved Player was selected to represent his nation again in the 2002 World Basketball Championship which was held in Indianapolis. This time round, the Americans had a lackluster tournament, and could only finish sixth.FOURTEENTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP -- 2002
, usabasketball.com, accessed August 31, 2008.
O'Neal averaged 7.3 points and 4.5 rebounds over eight games. The next year, Team USA staged a comeback in the
2003 Tournament of the Americas The 2003 Tournament of the Americas in basketball, later known as the FIBA Americas Championship and the FIBA AmeriCup (also known as Las Americas Tournament for Men, FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament, or Panamerican Olympic Qualifying T ...
. Winning all ten of its games and the gold medal, the team qualified for the
2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 13 to 29 August 2004 in Athens, Greece. The Games saw 10,625 athletes ...
.MEN'S TOURNAMENT OF THE AMERICAS -- 2003
, usabasketball.com, accessed September 20, 2008.
O'Neal featured in every game in that tournament, averaging 11.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest. While he was earmarked as a core member of the team that would compete in the Olympics, a knee injury prevented him from participating in the games.


NBA career statistics


Regular season

, - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
, 45 , , 0 , , 10.2 , , .451 , , .000 , , .603 , , 2.8 , , .2 , , .0 , , .6 , , 4.1 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
, 60 , , 9 , , 13.5 , , .485 , , .000 , , .506 , , 3.4 , , .3 , , .3 , , 1.0 , , 4.5 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
, 36 , , 1 , , 8.6 , , .434 , , .000 , , .514 , , 2.7 , , .4 , , .1 , , .4 , , 2.5 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
, 70 , , 8 , , 12.3 , , .486 , , .000 , , .582 , , 3.3 , , .3 , , .2 , , .8 , , 3.9 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 81 , , 80 , , 32.6 , , .465 , , .000 , , .601 , , 9.8 , , 1.2 , , .6 , , 2.8 , , 12.9 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 72 , , 72 , , 37.6 , , .479 , , .071 , , .688 , , 10.5 , , 1.6 , , .6 , , 2.3 , , 19.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 77 , , 76 , , 37.2 , , .484 , , .333 , , .731 , , 10.3 , , 2.0 , , .9 , , 2.3 , , 20.8 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 78 , , 78 , , 35.7 , , .434 , , .111 , , .757 , , 10.0 , , 2.1 , , .8 , , 2.6 , , 20.1 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 44 , , 41 , , 34.8 , , .452 , , .167 , , .754 , , 8.8 , , 1.9 , , .6 , , 2.0 , , 24.3 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 51 , , 47 , , 35.3 , , .472 , , .300 , , .709 , , 9.3 , , 2.6 , , .5 , , 2.3 , , 20.1 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 69 , , 69 , , 35.6 , , .436 , , .000 , , .767 , , 9.6 , , 2.4 , , .7 , , 2.6 , , 19.4 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 42 , , 34 , , 28.7 , , .439 , , .000 , , .742 , , 6.7 , , 2.2 , , .5 , , 2.1 , , 13.6 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, 41 , , 34 , , 29.7 , , .473 , , .000 , , .810 , , 7.0 , , 1.6 , , .4 , , 2.0 , , 13.5 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, 27 , , 27 , , 30.0 , , .475 , , .000 , , .750 , , 5.4 , , 2.0 , , .4 , , 2.0 , , 13.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, 70 , , 70 , , 28.4 , , .529 , , .000 , , .720 , , 7.0 , , 1.3 , , .4 , , 1.4 , , 13.6 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, 24 , , 10 , , 18.0 , , .459 , , .000 , , .674 , , 3.7 , , .5 , , .1 , , 1.3 , , 5.4 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, 25 , , 24 , , 22.8 , , .433 , , .000 , , .677 , , 5.4 , , .4 , , .3 , , 1.7 , , 5.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , Phoenix , 55 , , 4 , , 18.7 , , .482 , , .000 , , .835 , , 5.3 , , .8 , , .3 , , 1.4 , , 8.3 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , Golden State , 44 , , 13 , , 20.1 , , .504 , , .000 , , .750 , , 5.5 , , .6 , , .3 , , .9 , , 7.9 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 1,011 , , 697 , , 27.1 , , .467 , , .147 , , .715 , , 7.2 , , 1.4 , , .5 , , 1.8 , , 13.2 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 5 , , 2 , , 24.0 , , .478 , , .000 , , .667 , , 7.6 , , .8 , , .8 , , 1.4 , , 11.2


Playoffs

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1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...
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Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
, 2 , , 0 , , 2.0 , , .000 , , .000 , , .000 , , .5 , , .0 , , .0 , , .5 , , .0 , - , align="left" ,
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
, align="left" ,
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
, 1 , , 0 , , 3.0 , , .000 , , .000 , , .000 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , .0 , , 2.0 , , .0 , - , align="left" ,
1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
, align="left" ,
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
, 9 , , 0 , , 6.1 , , .400 , , .000 , , .500 , , 1.9 , , .1 , , .0 , , .3 , , 1.6 , - , align="left" ,
2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
, align="left" ,
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
, 8 , , 0 , , 4.8 , , .273 , , .000 , , .667 , , .9 , , .1 , , .0 , , .4 , , 1.5 , - , align="left" ,
2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
, align="left" ,
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 4 , , 4 , , 39.3 , , .436 , , .000 , , .500 , , 12.5 , , 1.8 , , .0 , , 2.5 , , 9.8 , - , align="left" ,
2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
, align="left" ,
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 5 , , 5 , , 38.4 , , .447 , , .000 , , .750 , , 7.6 , , 1.0 , , .8 , , 1.6 , , 17.2 , - , align="left" ,
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Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
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Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
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2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
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Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
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Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
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Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
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Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
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NBA achievements

* NBA All-Star: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 * All-NBA: **Second Team: 2004 **Third Team: 2002, 2003 * NBA Most Improved Player Award: 2002 * NBA Magic Johnson Award: 2004 * Holds the Pacers franchise records for: **Most blocks in a game: 10 (January 22, 2003 vs. the
Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), E ...
) **Most blocks in a season: 228 (2000–01) **Most rebounds in a playoffs game: 22 (April 29, 2003 vs.
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
) **Highest rebounding average in a playoff series: 17.5 (2003 Eastern Conference First Round vs. Boston Celtics) **Most free throws attempted in a game: 25 (January 4, 2005 vs. the
Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
)


Personal life

O'Neal is married to Mesha and has two children: a son, Jermaine Jr., and a daughter, Asjia. Asjia is an AVCA All-American volleyball player and won the 2022 and 2023
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
national champion with the
University of Texas The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 students as of fall 2 ...
. He also owned a recording studio named Bogota Entertainment in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
. O'Neal is a
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
. He also frequently tweets about his faith. O'Neal was credited as an executive producer on
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
film '' Untold: Malice at the Palace'' in 2021. He is currently the head basketball coach of Dynamic Prep Academy out of Irving, Texas.


See also

* List of NBA career blocks leaders * List of NBA single-game blocks leaders * List of oldest and youngest NBA players * List of people banned or suspended by the NBA


References


External links


Jermaine O'Neal
at nba.com * {{DEFAULTSORT:Oneal, Jermaine 1978 births Living people 2002 FIBA World Championship players African-American Christians American expatriate basketball people in Canada American men's basketball players Basketball players from Columbia, South Carolina Big3 players Boston Celtics players Centers (basketball) Competitors at the 2001 Goodwill Games Golden State Warriors players Goodwill Games medalists in basketball Indiana Pacers players McDonald's High School All-Americans Miami Heat players NBA All-Stars NBA high school draftees Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Phoenix Suns players Portland Trail Blazers draft picks Portland Trail Blazers players Power forwards Toronto Raptors players United States men's national basketball team players 21st-century African-American sportsmen 20th-century African-American sportsmen American men's 3x3 basketball players