Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine Lee O'Nealis an American former professional basketball player. The 6 ft 11 in, 255 lbforward-center had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA draft straight out of high school. He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 17th overall pick, but O'Neal was unable to break into the first team in Portland and was traded to the Indiana Pacers in 2000. In his eight seasons with the club, he was voted an NBA...
ProfessionBasketball Player
Date of Birth13 October 1978
CityColumbia, SC
I think blocking a shot at a crucial point of the game is the most incredible feeling.
I always find a couple of hecklers... I'll kinda look at them, stare at 'em, and let them know I can't be stopped.
I want to be in the best winning situation. I don't want to be around anybody who's just interested in playing out the season and then going home for the summer.
I think if I had one year of college, I'd have done better with the mental part [of the NBA].
My reward is just to be a better man. You're so close to losing a loved one ... the ultimate goal is to be a better daddy, a better son, a better teammate.
It's a huge, huge pressure that so many people depend on you. The type of player I am and people look at me to come out and perform a certain way. Not being able to play on the biggest stage of the season, it's frustrating. One thing I wanted to do was not be frustrated about it and figure out what I can do to change and better myself on the court.
We showed a lot of composure from start to finish.