RealGM Analysis
Heading into the 2016-17 season, 307 players have appeared in a regular season game (ABA or NBA) for the Pacers. To honor Indiana’s 50th season, the easy thing to do would have been to rank the franchise’s top-50 players, but in true masochist fashion I decided to rank them all from Tom Abernethy to Tony Zeno.
In order to objectively rank more than 300 players, I developed a formula that assigns “points” to players, which they can then be sorted by. The system includes points for simple things like games played (regular and postseason), minutes, points scored, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks and bonuses for individual honors (things like All-Star appearances, All-NBA teams, awards and rankings among statistical leaders).
My points system for each player’s stats is the same for ABA and NBA players, but the system differs for individual honors. By and large, players from the NBA era have had to deal with stiffer competition in terms of talent and league size. The Pacers played in a league of nine to 11 teams over the ABA’s nine seasons. The NBA has steadily increased from 22 to 30 teams over the last four decades. To make an All-NBA team nowadays, a player must be among the top .04 percent. To be a top-15 player in the ABA, a player only had to land among the top .10 percent. It was essentially two-and-a-half times as likely, hence the lower value for such honors.
25. Bill Keller (1970-76)
Keller played on seven of Indiana’s nine ABA teams, winning three championships. He averaged double-figures during the playoffs for two of those title-winning teams and nine points for the third. In 556 regular season games, Keller averaged 11.8 points, 3.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds. He ranks 17th all-time in ABA games played and 35th in points scored.
24. Steve Stipanovich (1984-88)
The second overall pick in 1983, one pick behind Ralph Sampson and twelve picks before Clyde Drexler, he was named to the 1984 All-Rookie First Team. In five seasons, Stipanovich averaged 13.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists on 48.4% shooting.
23. Detlef Schrempf (1989-93)
Schrempf played five seasons with the Pacers, earning an All-Star nod in his final Year (1993) before he was traded to the Sonics for Derrick McKey. He averaged 17.0 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 354 games. He tied for 16th in the MVP voting in 1992 with a single vote.
22. Mark Jackson (1995-97, 1998-00)
Rik Smits, and then Jalen Rose, might have been Reggie Miller’s most talented teammates in the 1990s, but Jackson was his right-hand man. He became a more dangerous three-point shooter as his career developed and averaged 8.4 points and 8.1 assists in 405 regular season games. He looked to score a tad more in the postseason, averaging 9.5 points in 74 games. Like Schrempf, he received one MVP vote in his Indiana tenure (1999).
21. Darnell Hillman (1972-77)
Hillman won championship with the Pacers in his first two seasons and made the trek from the ABA to the NBA in 1977. Indiana traded Hillman to the Knicks along with a first-round pick that became Bernard King for John Williamson on Feb. 1, 1977. Dr. Dunk finished his Pacers career with averages of 10.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.
20. Derrick McKey (1994-01)
The Pacers traded Schrempf? Well, what they got in return was pretty valuable. McKey was a member of the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team twice and often guarded the opponent’s best wing player. In his first three seasons, McKey averaged 12.3 points, 5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals. As Jalen Rose emerged, his minutes took a hit. Still, he played in 450 regular season and 93 playoff games for the franchise.
19. Jalen Rose (1997-02)
Given when Rose had his best seasons, as Miller was coming down of his own peak, he may have been the best one-two punch the Pacers had in Miller’s 18 seasons. He averaged 14.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists in his five-plus seasons with the team, but peaked in his final two years (19.3 points, 5.0 assists and 4.9 rebounds on 46.3% shooting. He scored 20.8 points per game in the 2000 postseason. On May 6, 2000, Rose and Miller each dropped 40 points on the 76ers in Game 1 of the conference semifinals.
18. Herb Williams (1982-89)
By and large, Williams outperformed his draft position (14th overall) in seven-plus seasons with the Pacers. He averaged 16.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 577 games, but his rank on this list is hurt by the fact that he played in just four playoff contests. His best NBA season came in 1985-86 when he posted 19.9 points, 9.1 rebounds 2.4 blocks and 2.2 assists in 78 games (74 starts). With his production dipping in 1989, the Pacers dealt him to the Mavericks for Schrempf and a second-round pick that was later used on Antonio Davis.
17. Vern Fleming (1985-95)
Fleming played all but one of his 12 NBA seasons with Indiana, helping Miller and Co. put the franchise on the map after he was taken 18th overall in 1984. He best campaign came in 1989-90 when he posted 14.3 points, 7.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 82 games. Only Reggie Miller and Rik Smits played in more NBA games for the Pacers than Fleming. He also ranks in top-10 in NBA franchise history in minutes played, field goals made, assists, steals and points scored. An eternally underrated contributor.
16. Dale Davis (1992-00, 2005)
The second of the Davis Brothers to land on this list, the Pacers drafted Dale with the No. 13 pick in 1991 out of Clemson. He played his first nine seasons with the Pacers, earning an All-Star bid in 2000 as the club prepared for a trip to the NBA Finals. He returned to play 25 games with Indiana in 2004-05 and added another 110 games (107 starts) for the club in the playoffs. With the team making a quick transition after coming within two wins of a title, the Pacers traded him to Portland for Joe Kleine and Jermaine O’Neal. During his first tenure with the team, Davis averaged 9.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 54.3% shooting.
15. Chuck Person (1987-92)
The Rifleman was the fourth overall pick in 1986, one of the first in a series of quality first-round picks made by the franchise in the mid-1990s to the turn of the century. Person was the NBA’s Rookie of the Year and peaked in 1989 with averages of 21.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 37.7 minutes per game. Consider this -- he earned his nickname despite making more than 140 three-pointers just twice in a season and never eclipsing 190 made treys. Last season alone, nine players surpassed that mark.
14. Don Buse (1973-77, 1981-82)
Buse played his first five professional seasons, including four in the ABA, with the Pacers before returning three years later for another two campaigns. He won an ABA title in 1973 and was twice an All-Star. Buse was also a stalwart defender, earning multiple All-Defensive First Team selections and leading the ABA, and then NBA, in steals per game in consecutive seasons (76, 77). In 539 regular season games, Buse averaged 7.7 points, 5.1 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals in 29.1 minutes per game. He also appeared in 51 postseason contests for the franchise.
13. Freddie Lewis (1968-74, 1977)
Lewis exploded onto the scene with the Pacers in 1967-68, averaging 20.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 76 games after scoring just 4.7 points per game with Cincinnati the season before. He was named an All-Star three times with Indiana and won three titles. He twice finished among the top-10 in points per game and finished among the leaders in assists per game three times. In nearly 100 playoff games, Lewis averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals.
12. Bob Netolicky (1968-72, 1974-76)
Netolicky played for the Pacers in eight of his nine ABA seasons, collecting four All-Star berths, two championships, a spot on the All-Rookie First Team and an All-ABA Second Team selection in 1970. He is among the best rebounders in ABA history, finishing fifth on the all-time list. In 515 career games, he averaged 15.7 points and 8.9 rebounds on 49.3% shooting. He was nearly as productive in the playoffs, posting 15.7 points and 8.8 rebounds on 50.3% shooting in 73 games.
11. Danny Granger (2006-14)
Granger may not figure very prominently in franchise lore given the team’s on-court success (or lack thereof) during his career, but he made a lasting impression nonetheless. The Pacers made the playoffs just three times in his tenure as he bridged the gap between the Miller-O’Neal-Artest era to the Hill-George-Hibbert years. An All-Rookie Second Team member in 2006, Granger became an All-Star in 2009. If Indiana had been better, he could have made at least two more All-Star teams. He was robbed off significant time because of injuries during the end of his time with Indiana, but still ranks near the top of several statistical leaderboards -- threes (second), steals (eighth) and points (sixth).
10. Billy Knight (1975-77, 1979-83)
After beginning his career with the Pacers (two in the ABA, one in the NBA), Knight returned to the club in 1979 for another five seasons. He made a pair of All-Star teams and an All-ABA First Team with Indiana. The Pacers traded him to Buffalo for Mike Bantom and Adrian Dantley and then reacquired him from the Celtics for Rick Robey. He was traded a total of six times in his professional career. In close to 600 games, Knight averaged 18.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 30.4 minutes. He increased his production to 24.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 23 playoff contests with the team.
9. Roy Hibbert (2009-15)
This one is sure to elicit eye rolls, but Hibbert was a productive starter for several very good Indiana teams. A two-time All-Star, he was among the league’s best rim protectors for three seasons as the Pacers surged near the top of the Eastern Conference, but the bottom fell out quickly as he was dealt to the Lakers for a second-round pick prior to last season. Limited offensively and never an elite rebounder, Hibbert averaged 11.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks over 533 regular season games. He started all 54 postseason contests he appeared in for Indiana, boosting his production to 12.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. He finished tenth in Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 and second in 2014. He ranks eighth in franchise history in offensive rebounds and fourth in blocks.
8. Rik Smits (1989-00)
The Dunking Dutchman was the second overall pick in 1988 and he hit the ground running as a member of the All-Rookie First Team. He was an All-Star in 1998 and showed up on two MVP ballots that season as well. Had he not shared the Eastern Conference with Patrick Ewing and Shaquille O’Neal for most of his career, he’d have a few more All-Star appearances. Foot problems limited him throughout his 12 years, but he only missed 85 games over the course of his career – just seven per year. He retired after the Finals appearance in 2000 with averages of 14.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 50.7% shooting. He is easily the second-most productive player in team history, ranking second in games, minutes and field goals (made and missed), points, defensive rebounds and blocks.
7. George McGinnis (1972-75, 1980-82)
McGinnis won two ABA titles in four seasons with the Pacers and then moved to the NBA when he signed with the 76ers as a free agent. Four years later, Indiana reacquired him in a trade with Denver that sent Alex English and a first-round pick out West. His first run with the team (25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 steals over 314 games) was far more productive than he second (9.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 172 contests), but he’s still among the best players not enshrined in Springfield. He was the 1975 ABA MVP, a three-time All-Star with Indiana and a member of three All-ABA squads. All and all, he averaged 19.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals with the Pacers. Among franchise leaders he ranks fifth in total rebounds, four in steals and seventh in points scored.
6. Ron Artest/Metta World Peace (2002-06)
He was a member of the franchise for less than four calendar years, but Artest/World Peace made sure his time with the Pacers counted -- both good and bad. He was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team, won Defensive Player of the Year honors and was named to the All-Defensive First and All-NBA third team in 2004. He doesn’t rank among the franchise leaders in any total statistical category, but his 2.2 steal per game average ranks fourth and no player has a better defensive rating (97.6) in Pacers’ history. You can play the What If game endlessly when it comes to his time in blue-and-gold, but you cannot deny the talent he once possessed.
5. Paul George (2011-)
There is some danger in saying this due to the lack of a long-term contract, but George could conceivably rank second or even first on this list in a decade. Using my formula, he could even rank as high as third on this list after this season if he remains healthy and adds a few more individual honors to his ledger. He was somewhat of an unknown as the tenth overall pick in 2011 out of Fresno State, but he ranks first among his draft class in box score plus/minus. He has been a star since Frank Vogel took over for Jim O’Brien and gave George consistent playing time. In just six seasons (including what was basically a lost 14-15 campaign), George has already made three All-Star teams, been named to three All-NBA Third Teams, an All-Defensive First Team and two All-Defensive Second Teams. He finished ninth in MVP voting in 2014, just a few months before a broken leg nearly derailed his career. In just 379 games, George already ranks among Indiana’s franchise leaders in made threes (third) and steals (seventh). Given his current pace, he could rank fifth on the team’s all-time scoring list by the end of the 2017-18 season.
4. Roger Brown (1968-75)
Brown played 559 of his 605 career games (all ABA) with the Pacers, winning three titles, making four All-Star appearances and earning a Hall of Fame nod in 2013 posthumously. He was banned from both the NCAA and NBA for having a relationship with noted gambler Jack Molinas in high school, but was never accused of point shaving himself. Brown was the MVP of the 1970 ABA playoffs and a member of the 1971 All-ABA First Team and 1968 and 1970 All-ABA Second Teams. He finished his career with averages of 18.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists with Indiana. He ranks fourth in team history in minutes played, and points and seventh in assists. His No. 35 hangs in the rafters at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
3. Jermaine O’Neal (2001-08)
His transgressions weren’t nearly as serious as those of some of his mid-aughts teammates, but O’Neal has had a stain placed on his time with the Pacers for some reason. He made six consecutive All-Star teams for the club, the only player in team history to do so. He made three All-NBA teams and his third-place finish in the 2004 MVP voting is far-and-away the best finish the team has had since joining the NBA. He ranked in the top five in blocks and top ten in rebounds four times with Indiana. Over 514 games, O’Neal averaged 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. His name can be found all over the franchise record books. He ranks eighth in minutes played, fifth in points, sixth in rebounds and first in blocked shots, fourth in PER and third in defensive rating.
2. Mel Daniels (1969-74)
If measured in terms of a player’s peak seasons, Daniels would be an easy choice as the best player in franchise history. He made six All-Star teams, one for each of his six seasons with the team. Daniels also collected two ABA MVP awards and won three championships. He also made three All-ABA First Teams and an All-ABA Second Team with the Pacers, while dominating the league in rebounding annually. In 479 regular season games with Indiana, Daniels averaged 19.4 points, 16 rebounds (!), and 1.6 blocks in 37.1 minutes per game. The Pacers retired his No. 34 and he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. Daniels added to his resume with 95 postseason appearances with the franchise, contributing 17.1 points and 15 rebounds per game. He ranks first in total rebounds, ninth in points scored and tenth in minutes played in franchise history. Uncle Mel befriended the Pacers’ first-round draft pick in 1987, advising the rookie as he became a Hall of Famer himself.
1. Reggie Miller
Truth be told, you could argue that Daniels, O’Neal and George were all better than Miller (as all-around players) at their respective peaks, but to date no player in franchise history has managed to have as much staying power. A five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA Third Team selection, he was honored in Springfield the same year as Daniels (2012) and has his No. 31 retired by the Pacers. In 18 seasons, Miller averaged 18.2 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.1 steals in 34.3 minutes per game. His first and last All-Star appearances were separated by 10 years. He earned his reputation in the playoffs, where he averaged 20.6 points and shot 39% from three in 144 games. He was also incredibly reliable for each of the nine coaches he played for as he appeared in 96.1% of a possible 1,444 regular season games.
As a rookie he was a teammate of John Long and Herb Williams and when he retired he shared the locker room with James Jones and World Peace. The Pacers couldn’t published a record book with Miller, who ranks first in franchise history in games played (by more than 500), minutes (Smits, who is second, has half as many), points (more than twice as many as Smits), assists and steals. A two-guard when the league was much more defined by positions and places on the floor, only eight players have more rebounds than Miller in team history. He retired as the NBA’s leader in made threes, but now sits second behind Ray Allen. A surprising stat that further cements Miller’s legacy as not only the best player in Pacers’ history, but also an all-time great? His career offensive rating of 121.5 ranks second in NBA history behind Chris Paul – he’s truly 31 and Only.
*Rank is based on the following formula:
Players received one point per game played, point, rebound, assist, steal and block in the NBA and/or ABA and in both the regular season and playoffs. In addition, they received .1 points per minute played.
A 500-point bonus was applied anytime a player, NBA or ABA, finished a season among the top-10 players in any statistical category. For example, Paul George finished seventh in points scored in 2015-16.
The following points were awarded for individual awards:
Hall of Fame = 20,000 (50% of games with Indy)
All-Star appearance (2,000, 1,000 for ABA)
All-League Team (6,000/4,000/2,000, 3,000/2,000/1,000 for ABA)
All-Rookie (3,000/2,000/1,000, 1,500, 1,000, 500 for ABA)
All-Defensive (5,000/2,500/1,000, 2,500, 1,250, 500 for ABA)
MVP (7,500 to 3,000 for tenth, 3,750 to 1,500 for ABA)
Defensive Player of the Year (7,000 to 5,000 for fifth, 3,500 to 1,500 for ABA)
Rookie of the Year (5,000 to 1,000 for fifth, 2,500 to 500 for ABA)
Sixth Man of the Year (5,000 to 1,000 for fifth)
Most Improved Player (5,000 to 1,000 for fifth)
