The Indiana Pacers are a storied franchise marked by periods of prolonged success, including three ABA Championships, although they've never made it to the promised land in the NBA. That doesn't mean they've been lacking in talent though. Some of the most notable names in the game's history and those around the league today were Indiana Pacer all-time greats at one point. Here are the ten greatest Indiana Pacers players of all time, ranked.
10. Mark Jackson
Mama, there goes that man. Mark Jackson has primarily been in the news for his broadcasting career lately, but as a player, Jackson played the better part of six years in Indiana. As a player, he helped lead the Pacers during the 1990s, a franchise high point. Jackson was a critical part of the lineup as point guard doing battle with Jordan's Bulls and the hated New York Knicks. His tenure culminated during the 1999-2000 season, ending in a finals appearance against the Shaq and Kobe Lakers.
9. Jalen Rose
One of the legendary Fab Five recruiting class at the University of Michigan, Rose would go on to have a successful NBA career. He is more known to younger fans as a media member these days or as the guy Kobe dropped 81 on. But Rose spent more time in Indiana than anywhere else during his playing days. He shared a lot of overlap with Jackson (and others on this list) and contributed similarly to the prolonged period of Pacer relevance in the 1990s. Rose coming into his own and winning the Most Improved Player award as the team's small forward in 1999-2000 was a crucial part of that Finals run.
8. George McGinnis
The first of a few guys from Indiana's ABA days to make this list. McGinnis spent seven years on the Pacers and he certainly left his mark. He is one of only four Pacers to have their jersey retired by the team. In his time there he was a three-time ABA All-Star and All-ABA. He won two ABA titles with the Pacers as one of the premier power forwards in the league. During the 1974-1975 championship season, McGinnis lead the league in scoring with 29.8 ppg. He'd pick up league MVP that year too. McGinnis would ultimately leave the Pacers after that season. He would bounce around, rack up a few more All-Star selections, and return for the final three years of his career after the Pacers joined the NBA.
7. Mel Daniels
Mel Daniels is the second ABA guy on the list and the second of Indiana's four retired jerseys to be included here. Although McGinnis ultimately played one more year with the Pacers, Daniels spent all his time there uninterrupted. Daniels also played a vital role in all three Indiana titles, so he gets the slight nod here. Daniels was an All-Star center for all six years he was a Pacer, leading the league in rebounding twice. He would establish himself as one of the ABA's best-ever centers and anchor of one of its best-ever teams.
6. Dale Davis
Dale Davis was more than simply another great Indiana Pacer big man. One part of a legendary two-man frontcourt for Indiana in the 1990s, Davis played his first nine seasons as a Pacer. Davis was a standout in a standout time of Pacer history. He earned his only All-Star selection as a Pacer during that 1999-2000 season. He averaged nearly a double-double as a Pacer turning in critical performances and consistently going toe-to-toe with the best big men of the era.
5. Rik Smits
Yet another Pacer of that great 1990s era, Rik Smits stands above (almost) all the rest in the hearts of Pacers fans. In the second half of the front-court duo with Davis, Smits spent all 12 years in the NBA with Indiana. Coming over from Europe before it was cool, Smits was consistently one of the most underrated players in the league. His respect among the players though was never in doubt. Shaquille O'Neal feared him more than almost anyone else at the beginning of his career. Smits struggled with nerve damage in his foot for much of his time in the NBA. Ultimately he could have taken the Pacers to even greater heights with better injury luck. Although not discussed today, his injuries made the Laker's three-peat easier than it could have been. He would ultimately retire after 1999-2000. Smits was only selected to one All-Star game embodying the Pacers' struggles to make it out of the shadows of their Eastern Conference rivals. Smits was by far the best Dutch basketball player of all time and a true Indiana Pacers legend.
4. Paul George
Maybe the most difficult player to rank on this list, but one of the least surprising entries: Paul George. George has been one of the best players in the league for over a decade now. He first made his mark on the league as a Pacer as the tenth pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. And he pretty comfortably has the best career in that class. Despite big names like John Wall, Gordon Hayward, and DeMarcus Cousins all going in front of him, George and the Pacers found the most team and individual success. George made four All-Star teams and three All-NBA teams as a Pacer. Most importantly, he led the franchise back to relevance after a rough mid-2000s. The Indiana Pacers teams led by Paul George were some of the only true challenges to the Miami Heat Big 3 era. The two teams would face off three straight times in the playoffs including twice in the conference finals. Unfortunately for Geroge and the Pacers, they would fall all three times. George's star power would only continue to rise in the years following those playoff battles, but the cast around him disappeared. George would leave for Oklahoma City in free agency in 2017.
3. Jermaine O'Neal
Maybe a bit of an emotional reaction to the recency of Paul George's departure, but Jermaine O'Neal earns the third spot on this list. O'Neal arrived in Indiana via a trade with Portland, which also included the departure of Dale Davis. O'Neal was added just after the Pacers' finals run to reload and keep them in contention. Although the Pacers would not reach the heights of the 1999-2000 season again, O'Neal would bring them close. All of his All-Star and All-NBA selections (six and three respectively) would come as an Indiana Pacer, despite numerous stints elsewhere after his time in Indiana. O'Neal would help lead the Pacers to six more consecutive playoff appearances culminating in back-to-back losses to the Detroit Pistons. While O'Neal is often remembered most for the Malice at the Palace incident, he is absolutely a Pacer all-time great.
2. Roger Brown
Roger Brown is our third and final ABA legend to make this list and the third out of four Pacers with their jersey retired. Like his teammates, Brown is on the ABA All-Time team, a four-time All-Star and three-time All-ABA player. He helped lead the Pacers to all three of their ABA titles. Not to mention holding the second-most win shares in Indiana Pacer history. Brown's journey to the Pacers and the ABA generally was not what he wanted. Banned from the NCAA and NBA in 1961 due to “associations” with a known gambler, Brown ended up in the ABA instead. Brown certainly made the most of his time in Indiana. Although he wouldn't live to see it, Brown entered the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017, joining teammates McGinnis and Daniels.
1. Reggie Miller
What else is there to say about Reggie Miller that has yet to be said? Miller is synonymous with the Indiana Pacers franchise. He is the only player from the NBA era to have his number retired by the Pacers. He played 18 years in the NBA, all with the Pacers. While he only made five All-Star appearances and only three selections to All-NBA teams, his impact on Indiana, the league, and the game of basketball itself transcends any of that. His selection to the NBA 75th Anniversary team and a spot in the Hall of Fame further indicate that. He was the best shooter the league had ever seen. Miller is the franchise leader in nearly every shooting and scoring stat, not to mention assists. He also retired as the league leader in three-pointers made. Outside the ABA and Paul George eras, Miller was the engine behind every year of Pacer relevance. The craziest stat that proves no other Pacer could ever hold the top spot on this list: no other player in Indiana Pacers history has played even half of the 47,619 minutes Reggie Miller did.
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