23. Jermaine O’Neal
With summer dragging on and on and on before the NBA tips off, we’ve decided to initiate a multipart series that will be the definitive look at the best players in the NBA today. Over the next month or so we’ll run down the 50 guys that we think are the 50 best players, right here, right now. Today, Lang Whitaker takes a look at Jermaine O’Neal…
With summer dragging on and on and on before the NBA tips off, we’ve decided to initiate a multipart series that will be the definitive look at the best players in the NBA today.
Over lunch at the Outback Steakhouse (word to Steve Irwin), your crack SLAMonline.com staff sat down and ranked the 50 best players in the NBA today. We realize that’s kind of ambiguous, but that’s how basketball is and that’s how we like it. Basically, though, we tried to list the 50 guys we think have the most value to their teams, right now, at this moment. This doesn’t mean they’ll never be traded, and it doesn’t mean they’re due tremendous contract extensions, but it does mean — since value is king in the NBA — that over the next month or so we’ll run down the 50 guys that we think are the 50 best players, right here, right now.
Before long it’ll be time for our annual NBA team previews. Right now it’s time for some law and order…
23. Jermaine O’Neal
by Lang Whitaker
The question that resonates with every guy on this list is this: How will they be remembered? Will Darko Milicic, for instance, be known as the worst Draft bust in history, or will he develop into a great player?
That question was not the lone determining factor in our rankings of the top 50 players in the NBA, but it did come into play and play a part in how we sorted these guys out.
This brings us to Jermaine O’Neal. He’s a five-time All-Star who, at least at one point a few years ago, we were pretty sure would emerge as one of the elite big men in the NBA. Since being traded to the Pacers in 2000 and getting extensive playing time, he’s averaged 19.5 ppg and 9.8 rpg, significant digits, which have led to a few All-NBA appearances (though never on the first team). He’s also become the leader of the Pacers, the guy who tried to rein in Ron Artest, and the guy who publicly said it was time for Ron Ron to move on.
For all his talent and ability, though, there remain questions. He’s played 95 games combined the last two seasons, hampered by injury, and he just hasn’t managed to step up and be the alpha Pacer everyone continually expects him to become.
A few days ago, JO turned 28 years old, which means he should be in his prime right now. Have we seen the best that Jermaine O’Neal has to offer? Or is there still something else inside there, just waiting to be tapped?
46 Responses to “23. Jermaine O’Neal”
Oct.16 at 2:47 pm
wassup says:
first post yess
Oct.16 at 2:54 pm
Rob Stewart says:
seems to me that he is falling off. he is actually staring to bet a little big and losing some of his athleticism. Indiana doesn’t seem the same anymore and by the time they return to where the once were Jermaine may be to washed up. Not saying he is garbage. He is still a very good player but my vote says he’s declining.
Oct.16 at 2:59 pm
TrippleX says:
My Top 5: Nash, Gasol, AK47, Kobe and Dirk.
Oct.16 at 3:06 pm
JG says:
Jermaine is a good pick at 23. He does seem to be falling off a little (not that he isn’t still a great talent) since the injury bug bit him…HARD. its a shame….
Oct.16 at 3:14 pm
Myung says:
What transpired over the weekend in the “Amare” post was something about out of the Twilight Zone. It felt like a mail order video called “UN Summit Gone Wild.” Vin Diesel, your picture is next to the words “subliminal message” and “persistence” in the dictionary. I’m beginning to think Pau Gasol is really a top 5 player in the NBA now. Stop messing with my mind. Just playing, homie. Jermaine O’Neal has the best run-at-full-speed-and-stop right-handed punch of any NBA player I’ve ever seen.
Oct.16 at 3:22 pm
the skyhighatrist says:
This year should be make or break for JO. If he gets injured again or his stats decline, he’ll continue to get critisized. If the pacers actually make some noise and JO gets his 20-10-2 he should still be considered a top 7 big man in the L.
Oct.16 at 3:24 pm
Max Airington says:
You buy 2K7 yet?
Oct.16 at 3:28 pm
TrippleX (AKA Vin Diesel) says:
haha. myung you are the best homie. i must admit, its awfully hard to put gasol over wade and lebron. but like i said, these guys are all WINNERS and LEADERS! maybe not kirlienko, but dude is a fantasy monster and kills the stat sheet when he is healthy.
Oct.16 at 3:31 pm
Will says:
23 ain’t that bad for JO. Of course he hasn’t been healthy and since he’s a big men which tends to mature late and stay on top of their game longer than guards. I would say he will be on an upward swing for the next 3-4 years barring any other injuries or other Pacers inefficiencies or scandals.
Oct.16 at 3:33 pm
Myung says:
Nah, Max…I’m buying a flat panel TV (am I one of the last people in the world to do this?) sometime later this week…once I get that, I’m getting 2K7. I bought my friend’s XBox360 (like I told you) a few weeks ago and haven’t even taken it out of the bag because I’m waiting to get a new TV. I’ll let you know, man. Take care, Max.
Oct.16 at 3:40 pm
Yugo says:
Jermaine Oneal has excellent punch skils but his face is like little baby!
Oct.16 at 3:41 pm
illydiva says:
J.O. has been an above average player for years but only a great big man in spurts. Like everyone else said…injuries. He is however in the top 10 finest men in the league. @Myung, I don’t have a flat panel TV either.
Oct.16 at 3:44 pm
chronically_ill says:
Jermaine O’Neal over Shawn Marion? Hmmm…dont know about that one. True, Jermaine is a great post player (and there arent too many of those in the league these days, which probably ups his value), but Marion is more athletic, mobile and could do a little bit more of everything, while rebounding as well as Jermaine. Still, the 20’s seem to be an alright spot for J.O.
Oct.16 at 4:11 pm
Shiz says:
Best JO moment…PUnked: when he couldn’t get into A.I.’s party. The look on his face is classic. A good player, even a great player. Good hook with either hand. Runs the floor pretty well, respectable defender. Gotta good mid-range faceup j. He’s a good player, just for whatever reason, the injury bug always gets to the Pacers. Maybe they practice too much or need to hire a new physical therapist. Cuz between JO, JTin, the recently retired kid outta high school and a few big stiffs the Pacers are never healthy. Good spot for em. Yugo:…You’re crazy….I like you…but…you’re crazy! LOL. *proceeds to slap little kiddies around in a half paralyzed stupor before crashing through the birthday cake and falling face first into the pool* 2k7 is a pretty hot game. Once you figure out post moves its over. Plus they didn’t change anything about it…which was the reason I had to turn traitor to Live..The square and circle as separate shot buttons was just too confusing…But I set up my 2k7 controller config. using the old live config…curious…
Oct.16 at 4:15 pm
Shiz says:
I hope the guy suing JO over the Detroit riot gets squat… Ron Ron going into the stands was not cool, but why oh why would you ever square off with a professional athlete on the Court is beyond me.
For anybody that watches UFC, JO’s Superman Punch was one for the ages. These guys lift SUPA weights like…everyday.. and their arms are longer than most peoples legs…I mean, he really whaled that guy…but he deserved it…I know I laughed…hard…
Oct.16 at 4:16 pm
Yugo says:
Does they make 2K7 for TurboGraffix16?
Oct.16 at 4:30 pm
CASHVILLE says:
If I had the homies with me I would have no problem squaring off because we roll deep like papa john’s but I could have an army with me and still wouldn’t think about throwing a beer on Ron Artest’s crazy ass. I like Jermaine Propane but I’ve never really been a huge fan of his game. He’s like a “I’ll settle for less K.G.” and throw in some yellow N.B.A. headbands with it.
Oct.16 at 4:40 pm
Shiz says:
Wow! TurbGraffix!! I haven’t heard that in awhile..That takes it back to Air Wolf…Rambo…Altered Beast! Thanx Yugo! I needed that! NeoGeo was my shit though…
Oct.16 at 4:43 pm
Shiz says:
Lol. Cashville: Yeah “I need me a K.G. fa cheap!” Be like “C’mon poppi, I need that, early.” And the scariest part about the whole thing is that for how ever crazy Ron Ron is, Stephen Jackson is WAAAAAY crazier! Houston representa!!
Oct.16 at 5:02 pm
CASHVILLE says:
I don’t know who’s crazier. It might just depend on whoevers zodiac is closest to the sun that day. Man, I would hate to have seen Ron at the strip club that night. He would have been like that guy on Fantastic Four when he got hit by that 18 wheeler. He would have made real live orange juice outta that ni**a. Ha Ha
Oct.16 at 5:16 pm
TrippleX says:
@TrippleX copycat Thanks for copying my name and my Top 5!
My Top 5: Nash, Dirk, Gasol, AK47, and Kobe
Oct.16 at 5:59 pm
New era says:
J.O seems like a good fit at 23. He has fallen off from the times when he was the best big in the east. 2k7 is weak compared to live 07.
Oct.16 at 6:16 pm
nick d says:
man j.o has gone down a lil bit skill wise in the past few years…but ive heard this yr hes in the best shape of his life..? If he lives up to that and did condition really hard inthe summer he could be MVP material…If jt and jack grow up,,,..and stay healthy..then indy will thrive and so will J>O
Oct.16 at 6:24 pm
serbia23 says:
hes gay and he sucks
Oct.16 at 6:25 pm
serbia23 says:
lol jk, hes aight and i saw dat punkd too dat wuz funny shit
Oct.16 at 7:15 pm
Dj says:
see myung, without you the forums degenerate into meaningless thug babble, bush-bashing, dictator-hating, and people (*cough* tripleX) repeating the exact same post every single day for many weeks. (and i still think even if you snort more crack than bobby brown you still cant rationalize AK or gasol over lebron. but thats just me; i mean, people still believe we faked the moon landings or that something lives in loch ness…)
Oct.16 at 7:16 pm
Dj says:
this is america. believe what you will. just dont run for president.
Oct.16 at 7:46 pm
RonMexico says:
is this list going to be full of guys who are often/injured and might come back and make some noise? GHILL is going to be #1?
Oct.16 at 7:53 pm
Drolfe says:
Why is it JO dunks with his left hand way more than his right hand? Is it because of an injury he had? If someone could fill me in that would be super. I’ve spent months tracking down medical records, going through his trash, writing letter after letter, posing as doctors offering to examine his wrists, anything to try to figure it out and so far nothing. (i havent done any of the above)
Oct.16 at 8:24 pm
TrippleX says:
Yes, he injured his right wrist i think in the 04-05 season. havent you seen the highlights of him shooting the 2 free throws with his left hand and scored them both? My top 5: Nash, Dirk, AK47, Gasol and Kobe.
Oct.16 at 8:53 pm
Boing Dynasty says:
Does this mean Chris Bosh is officially the best
PF in the east now?
Oct.16 at 8:57 pm
Maurice says:
Has anyone seen Chris Bosh’s new hair?
Oct.16 at 9:52 pm
IllyPhilly6 says:
Yes CB4 is the best power forward in the east. He is already better than AK47 and Gasol. He’s approaching Garnett and Duncan status, possibly a couple more years. He should be even better than last year as this team is officially his (he deferred somewhat to Carter, Rose and Mike James in the past).
Oct.16 at 10:13 pm
TrippleX says:
IllyPhilly, you are 100% correct, just like my top 5. I wouldn’t say as good as AK47, but damn Chris Bosh is a monster. He is easily the best PF in the east and possibly top 3 in the league.
Oct.16 at 10:18 pm
Maurice says:
Bosh needs to eat some food and lift some weights and get a haircut
Oct.16 at 10:18 pm
TrippleX says:
My top 5 for each position
(in order): PG: Nash, Arenas, Iverson, Billups, CP3
SG: Kobe, Wade, VC, Pierce, Ray Ray
SF: AK47, LeBron, Marion, Tmac, Melo
PF: Dirk, Brand, Garnett, Bosh, Duncan
C: Gasol, STAT, Yao, Shaq, D-How
Oct.16 at 10:22 pm
TrippleX says:
Maurice, have you seen Bosh now? He is ripped. He’s a beast. Not like STAT or D-How, but kid is still 22 and is a monster. When he came into the league, he was like 200 lbs. Now he is at least 230 lbs maybe 240. He’s listed at 6′10, but he is actually 7′0. He’s like Garnett, taller than they are actualy listed. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him as the best PF in the league by end of the year when the Taptors make the playoffs (7th seed, you heard it from me first).
Oct.16 at 11:39 pm
Maurice says:
It would be fun to see a Raptors/Nets series
Oct.16 at 11:56 pm
Teddy-the-Bear says:
man.. how does tripple say that Yao is worse than Gasol? Gasol is aight, but Yao would take him any game. Melo and T Mac are better than Marion too. and 23 seems just about right for Jermaine.
Oct.17 at 12:34 am
scott says:
What happened with the Stoudemire post? Jermaine O’Neal seems right at #23. Would love to see O’Neal on the Celtics with Pierce that would be like going to Pleasuretown. However, can’t see that happening anytime soon. Pierce needs help before he gets too old. Thats what old people do. They die. How is Jermaine O’Neal ranked ahead of Amare Stoudemire? Please someone explain. Thank you.
Oct.17 at 5:04 am
DVLb0y613 says:
I’m not to sold on JO, He has got to want to be the man!!
Oct.17 at 2:06 pm
Darksaber says:
Pau is a leader, a LEADER???! Dude grows a beard in 05/06 and leads his team in points and rebounds (like every season) to ANOTHER first round sweep and he’s a leader?? TrippleX, stop smoking the ganja. Did you see how Dirk used him as a wet wipe during the playoffs? I live in europe bro, i love the trend that ball is getting stronger here every day, but Pau is not a “leader”. Gonna make me hurl… Oh, Jermaine at 23? Nice pick.
Oct.17 at 2:25 pm
hon says:
Jermaine O’Neal is the BEST player ever…with down syndrome. Seriously, check his head out. DS or what? No, seriously, JO got a nice post game but that’s it. In his prime, he barely averaged 10 boards. For a supposed elite PF, should be higher like 11 or just under like TRobot and KG.
Oct.18 at 8:04 pm
Justin H says:
Love Jermaine. He needs to fully recover from his injury.
Jan.2 at 6:45 pm
TT Boy says:
JORMENE O’NIEL IS TEH BESTT. GARNOT SUKCS
Jul.10 at 6:50 pm
dan says:
a healthy JO with Bosh in toronto will get alot more recognition than the VC era.. Go raps!!!