Indiana Pacers: 5 best Pacers players since 2000

#3 Jermaine O'Neal (2000-2008)

O'Neal (far right) against the Boston Celtics

The 6'11'' forward-center Jermaine O'Neal declared himself draft-ready in 1996 and was taken by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 17th overall pick. After spending four years with the Trail Blazers, he was traded to the Pacers in 2000.

With a NBA Finals trip the previous year, departures of Mark Jackson, Rik Smits, Chris Mullin and coach Larry Bird stepping down, O'Neal came to the Pacers with a lot of pressure and scrutiny. However, it was the trust of Pacers veteran Reggie Miller and new coach Isiah Thomas that O'Neal worked harder and emerged as a key player.

The next season he won the NBA's Most Improved Player Award, was named an All-Star and earned a place in the All-NBA Third Team. He made five more trips to the All-Star games in coming years (2002-07), while finishing third in the MVP voting during the 03/04 season. In eight seasons in Indiana, O'Neal averaged 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 2 assists in 35 minutes per game.

Injuries became the reason for his decline in coming years and he was traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2008, the Miami Heat in 09' and finished that season fifth across the league in total blocks made.

As a free agent in 2010, he signed with the Boston Celtics and stayed there for two seasons, while playing with the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors for a year each. Despite receiving interest from several teams during the season, O'Neal remained sidelined out of action and hasn't officially retired from professional basketball - though at 40-years-old, chances of a return are increasingly slim.