Jermaine O'Neal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jermaine O'Neal

O'Neal with the Golden State Warriors in 2014
Personal information
Born	(1978-10-13) October 13, 1978 (age 46) Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
High school	Eau Claire (Columbia, South Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight	255 lb (116 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 17th overall
Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers
Pro career	1996–2014
Career history
1996–2000	Portland Trail Blazers
2000–2008	Indiana Pacers
2008–2009	Toronto Raptors
2009–2010	Miami Heat
2010–2012	Boston Celtics
2012–2013	Phoenix Suns
2013–2014	Golden State Warriors
Career highlights and awards
6× NBA All-Star (2002–2007) All-NBA Second Team (2004) 2× All-NBA Third Team (2002, 2003) NBA Most Improved Player (2002) First-team Parade All-American (1996) Third-team Parade All-American (1995) McDonald's All-American (1996) South Carolina Mr. Basketball (1996)
Career statistics
Points	13,309 (13.2 ppg)
Rebounds	7,261 (7.2 rpg)
Blocks	1,820 (1.8 bpg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States FIBA Americas Championship Gold 2003 San Juan National team Goodwill Games Gold 2001 Brisbane National team

Jermaine Lee O'Neal Sr. (born October 13, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a center or power forward. Jermaine had a great high school career and decided to join the NBA right after high school in 1996.

O'Neal was chosen by the Portland Trail Blazers as the 17th pick in the draft. He was only 17 years old at the time. He played his first professional game when he was 18. For a while, he was the youngest player to ever play in an NBA game. He later moved to the Indiana Pacers in 2000. With the Pacers, he became an NBA All-Star six times. He also won the NBA Most Improved Player award in the 2001–02 season. Jermaine helped the Pacers reach the NBA playoffs many times. He also played for the Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and Phoenix Suns. His last NBA season was 2013–14 with the Golden State Warriors.

Early Life and Basketball Dreams

Jermaine O'Neal was born in Columbia, South Carolina. He and his older brother, Clifford, were raised by their mother, Angela Ocean. Jermaine loved sports from a young age. He was tall and fast. He enjoyed both American football and basketball, but basketball was his favorite. He looked up to basketball legends like Hakeem Olajuwon and Bill Russell.

High School Basketball Journey

Every summer, Jermaine played for an AAU team. People were impressed by how athletic he was. By age 14, O'Neal was 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) tall. He was a confident guard who could shoot three-pointers. He started high school at Eau Claire High School of the Arts in 1992. He promised his coach, George Glymph, that he would become the best player in the school's history.

Jermaine grew five inches in a year and a half. He was inspired to become a strong defensive player like Bill Russell. His coach built the team's defense around O'Neal. In 1995, Eau Claire won its third straight state title. O'Neal averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 blocks per game.

The next year, at an ABCD summer basketball camp, he played better than Tim Thomas, who was a rising star. Many colleges wanted him to play for them. However, Jermaine also faced personal challenges. His coach helped him stay focused and disciplined. His mother's new partner, Abraham Kennedy, also guided him.

In his final year at Eau Claire, O'Neal averaged 22.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 5.2 blocks per game. He was named South Carolina's Player of the Year and "Mr. Basketball." He also played in the McDonald's All-American Game. Even though he was a top player, his college future was unclear because of his test scores. His coach advised him not to go straight to the NBA. But another player from South Carolina, Kevin Garnett, had successfully gone from high school to the NBA a year before. O'Neal hoped to do the same.

Professional Basketball Career

Starting with the Portland Trail Blazers (1996–2000)

The Portland Trail Blazers picked O'Neal as the 17th player in the 1996 NBA draft. He joined a team with experienced players like Arvydas Sabonis, Rasheed Wallace, and Cliff Robinson. O'Neal missed the first 17 games due to a knee injury. He made his debut in December. At 18 years old, he became the youngest player to play in an NBA game at that time. He also became the youngest player to score 20 points in a game in January 1997.

In his first season, O'Neal played in 45 games. He averaged 4.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. He mostly played off the bench for about 10 minutes a game. He sometimes wondered if he made the right choice to skip college. His friend Kobe Bryant, who also went straight to the NBA, was having a good rookie season. But O'Neal believed his best was yet to come.

In the next few seasons, it was hard for O'Neal to get more playing time. The Trail Blazers had many talented players. Even though he showed flashes of his skill, he didn't play much in the playoffs. The team was strong and reached the Western Conference Finals in 1999 and 2000. However, O'Neal was not a main part of the action. He felt disappointed about his limited role and wanted to be traded. The Trail Blazers eventually traded him to the Indiana Pacers in 2000.

Becoming a Star with the Indiana Pacers (2000–2008)

When O'Neal joined the Indiana Pacers, many fans were surprised. The Pacers had just played in the NBA Finals. They traded an experienced player for O'Neal, who was still unproven. The team was also changing, with new players and a new coach, Isiah Thomas. Coach Thomas believed in O'Neal and told him to work hard.

Jermaine quickly became a key player for the Pacers. In his first season (2000–01), he started in 80 games. His stats improved a lot, averaging 12.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. He led the league in total blocks that season. He also led the Eastern Conference in "double-doubles" (scoring double digits in two different stats). The Pacers made it to the playoffs, but lost in the first round.

Breakthrough Seasons and All-Star Status

The 2001–02 season was a huge year for O'Neal. He won the NBA Most Improved Player Award. He was also named an NBA All-Star and made the All-NBA Third Team. He led his team in scoring (19.0 points) and rebounding (10.5 rebounds). The Pacers made the playoffs again, but lost in 5 games. It was clear that O'Neal was becoming the new leader for the team.

In the 2002–03 season, O'Neal continued to play like an All-Star. He averaged 20.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He was one of only three players in the NBA to do this that year. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month twice. However, the team struggled in the second half of the season due to injuries and other issues. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the third year in a row. After the season, O'Neal thought about joining another team. But he decided to stay with the Pacers and signed a big contract.

Leading the Pacers to Success

Despite changes to the team, O'Neal led the Pacers to a league-best 61–21 record in the 2003–04 season. He continued to average over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. He made his third All-Star team and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. He finished third in the voting for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. His teammate Ron Artest also had a great season, winning the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.

In the playoffs, the Pacers won their first two series. They reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the sixth time in 11 years. They faced the Detroit Pistons, who eventually won the NBA championship. In the final game of the series, O'Neal played with a sprained knee. He scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but the Pistons won a close game.

Challenges and Injuries

The 2004–05 season started with a big challenge. On November 19, a fight happened during a game against the Pistons. This event became known as "The Malice at the Palace". O'Neal was involved in the incident and was suspended for 25 games by the NBA Commissioner. After an appeal, his suspension was reduced to 15 games. This incident greatly affected the Pacers, as several key players were suspended.

O'Neal played in only 44 games that season, his lowest with Indiana. His scoring average went up to 24.3 points per game, but his rebounding and defense were not as strong. He also sprained his right shoulder. The Pacers still made the playoffs, winning their first series. But they lost to the Pistons in the next round.

Jermaine continued to deal with injuries in the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons. He missed many games, and the Pacers struggled to make the playoffs. His performance also declined. With two years left on his large contract, the Pacers looked to trade him. In July 2008, O'Neal was traded to the Toronto Raptors.

Time with Toronto, Miami, and Boston (2008–2012)

In Toronto, O'Neal was expected to form a strong duo with Chris Bosh. However, injuries continued to affect him. He missed many games, and his offensive game was inconsistent. In February 2009, O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat.

O'Neal spent one-and-a-half seasons with the Miami Heat.

With the Heat, O'Neal helped the team reach the playoffs in 2009 and 2010. He started in all 70 games he played in the 2009–10 season, putting up numbers similar to his career averages. The Heat lost in the first round of the playoffs both years.

O'Neal with the Celtics in 2011

In July 2010, O'Neal signed with the Boston Celtics. He had a tough season, missing 58 games due to knee and wrist injuries. He played only 24 games. He returned for the 2011 NBA playoffs and played well in the first round. The Celtics won that series but lost to the Miami Heat in the next round. In April 2012, the Celtics waived him after he had wrist surgery.

Later Career with Phoenix and Golden State (2012–2014)

On August 15, 2012, O'Neal signed a one-year contract with the Phoenix Suns. He was seen as a leader in the locker room. He had some good games, including a double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds) against the New Orleans Hornets. In January 2013, he was sidelined by an irregular heartbeat but returned to play in February. In March 2013, O'Neal took time off to be with his daughter, Asjia, who had surgery for a heart condition.

On July 23, 2013, O'Neal signed with the Golden State Warriors. He had surgery on his right wrist in December 2013 but returned to play in February 2014. After the 2013–14 season, O'Neal decided to take a break from basketball. He focused on his family. Although some teams were interested in him, he did not play again. In February 2016, he mentioned that he had not officially retired from the NBA.

National Team Experience

After his great season in 2000–01, O'Neal joined Team USA for the 2001 Goodwill Games. The American team won all five of their games and took home the gold medal. O'Neal led the team in blocks and shooting percentage. He was also second in points and rebounds.

He played for Team USA again in the 2002 World Basketball Championship. The team did not play well and finished sixth. The next year, Team USA bounced back in the 2003 Tournament of the Americas. They won all ten games and the gold medal, qualifying for the 2004 Summer Olympics. O'Neal played in every game, averaging 11.2 points and 6.2 rebounds. He was supposed to play in the Olympics, but a knee injury prevented him from joining the team.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

NBA Achievements and Records

• NBA All-Star: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
• All-NBA Teams:
  • Second Team: 2004
  • Third Team: 2002, 2003
• NBA Most Improved Player Award: 2002
• NBA Magic Johnson Award: 2004
• Holds these records for the Indiana Pacers:
  • Most blocks in a game: 10 (January 22, 2003 vs. the Toronto Raptors)
  • Most blocks in a season: 228 (2000–01)
  • Most rebounds in a playoff game: 22 (April 29, 2003 vs. Boston Celtics)
  • Highest rebounding average in a playoff series: 17.5 (2003 Eastern Conference First Round vs. Boston Celtics)
  • Most free throws attempted in a game: 25 (January 4, 2005 vs. the Milwaukee Bucks)

Personal Life

Jermaine O'Neal is married to Mesha. They have two children: a son, Jermaine Jr., and a daughter, Asjia. Asjia is a talented volleyball player. She won the 2022 and 2023 NCAA national championships with the University of Texas.

Jermaine is a Christian and often shares about his faith. He was also an executive producer for the Netflix film Untold: Malice at the Palace in 2021. Today, he is the head basketball coach for Dynamic Prep Academy in Irving, Texas.

See also

In Spanish: Jermaine O'Neal para niños

• List of NBA career blocks leaders
• List of NBA single-game blocks leaders
• List of oldest and youngest NBA players
• List of people banned or suspended by the NBA