- Jermaine O’Neal was not happy with the Pacers letting Buddy Hield switch to No. 7, O’Neal’s former number
- O’Neal stated that the Pacers don’t celebrate their legends
- The big man made six All-Star teams with the franchise
The Indiana Pacers are a smaller franchise, and they have not had many superstars in their history. The most prominent names associated with the team are Reggie Miller and Paul George. With that being said, the team has had a lot of star-level players, many of whom played many years with the franchise.
Many Pacers fans view center Jermaine O’Neal as a legend, and the big man notably made six All-Star teams during his time in Indiana. He wore the No. 7 with the franchise, but recently, the franchise had allowed shooting guard Buddy Hield to wear that number. O’Neal took to Instagram to call out the franchise, pointing out that the team doesn’t celebrate its legends.
“I love Buddy 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.”
Jermaine O’Neal is disappointed the Pacers allowed another player to wear No. 7
(h/t @BasketballOnX ) pic.twitter.com/ShwPxhNGhZ
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 14, 2023
It is easy to see why Jermaine O’Neal is upset with this decision from the Indiana Pacers. He spent his best years with the Pacers, and though he has not yet made the Hall of Fame, he deserves to have his jersey retired with the Pacers.
During his time with the Indiana Pacers, Jermaine O’Neal averaged 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. He is one of the more underrated players of his era, and hopefully, we can see him get recognition in the future.
Jermaine O’Neal Had Tension With Larry Bird When He Was Pacers President
Part of the reason that the Indiana Pacers eventually moved on from Jermaine O’Neal was due to his issues with Larry Bird, who was the president of basketball operations at the time. Bird previously opened up on the beef he had with O’Neal, noting that he hated to trade his best player.
Larry Bird: “You hate to [trade] your best player. But he was at the point where he thought a change of scenery would help him.”
Jermaine O’Neal: “I had the best conversation I’ve had with Larry in five years. It was really civil, really logical. … I don’t think that we hated each other. I just think so much had happened that it made the job difficult, and the only way for that team to move forward was to move me.”
There is no doubt that Jermaine O’Neal didn’t have the best end to his tenure with the Pacers. However, it is fair to say that he left because it was time for both parties to move on, and both he and Bird understand that.
Jermaine O’Neal Was A True Star During His Time With The Indiana Pacers
Jermaine O’Neal was a truly elite player during his time with the Indiana Pacers. He developed into a star through hard work and even made four All-NBA teams during his time with the franchise.
Jermaine O'Neal was a beast in Indiana:
6X NBA All-Star
4X All-NBA selections
2002 Most Improved Player
Career stats:
13.2 PPG
7.2 RPG
1.4 APG
1.8 BPG
46.7 FG%
27.1 MPG#NBA #Pacers #JermaineONeal pic.twitter.com/gjIJ7ZRwjX
— Fadeaway World (@FadeawayWorld) September 28, 2022
It will be interesting to see whether the Indiana Pacers end up issuing a response to Jermaine O’Neal’s statement. Hield should definitely be allowed to wear the number for this season, as the team has already given him the green light to switch.
However, in the future, the team should retire O’Neal’s number to ensure that No. 7 is not worn by another Pacers player. The team needs to recognize more of its legends, and we’ll see whether that ends up happening.
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