The Indiana Pacers may not have an NBA championship banner yet, but their history is filled with legends—players who gave their all for the blue and gold.
From early ABA giants to modern-day rim protectors, the Pacers' legends left their mark on the league.
Let's rank the 10 best Pacers players of all time, starting from number ten and working our way to the undisputed king of Indiana basketball.
Top 10 Pacers players of all time
10. Myles Turner
Myles Turner
Myles Turner
Credit AP - Scanpix
While he may not always get the spotlight, Myles Turner has quietly built one of the most important résumés in Pacers history.
Drafted 11th overall in 2015, Turner has become the franchise's all-time leader in blocked shots—and he's not slowing down.
With a smooth shooting stroke and elite timing, Turner embodies the modern big man: capable of protecting the rim and knocking down threes.
A two-time league leader in blocks per game, Turner has been the defensive anchor for multiple Pacers playoff teams, adapting his game through coaching changes, roster turnover, and shifting league trends.
His ability to space the floor offensively and erase mistakes defensively has made him one of the most versatile and dependable players in Indiana's recent history.
Although he has yet to make an All-Star team, Turner's long-term impact, loyalty to the franchise, and statistical dominance—especially on defense—earn him a spot among the 10 Pacers' best players of all time.
Myles Turner's stats with the Pacers (as of the end of the 2024-2025 season) :
GP GS PPG APG RPG BPG FG 3PT FT
570 537 13.9 1.2 6.8 2.2 50.2% 35.4% 77.1%
9. Danny Granger
Danny Granger
Danny Granger
Credit Reuters – Scanpix
Before Paul George, it was Danny Granger who carried the Pacers' hopes.
A silky smooth forward with a scorer's mentality, Granger averaged over 20 points per game for five straight seasons, including a career-best 25.8 PPG in 2009.
That same year, he earned an All-Star nod and was named the NBA's Most Improved Player of the Year.
Granger was the lone bright spot during some dark years in Indiana, leading by example and staying loyal through tough times.
Sadly, injuries began to pile up, and his body couldn't keep up with his skill. But make no mistake—Granger was a true franchise player who just didn't have the team around him.
Danny Granger's stats with the Pacers:
GP GS PPG APG RPG SPG FG 3PT FT
544 425 17.6 2.0 5.1 1.0 43.5% 38.2% 84.9%
8. Roy Hibbert
Roy Hibbert
Roy Hibbert
Credit AP-Scanpix
In an NBA shifting toward pace and space, Roy Hibbert stood tall—literally and figuratively.
At 7'2", Hibbert was the anchor of Indiana's bruising defense during their early 2010s resurgence.
A two-time All-Star and All-Defensive Team selection, Hibbert's ability to protect the rim through his patented "verticality" revolutionized how big men defended in the paint.
In the 2013 playoffs, he averaged nearly 3 blocks per game and delivered a game-saving swat on Carmelo Anthony that remains iconic.
Though the league eventually evolved past his playing style, Hibbert's peak was a reminder of the value of a dominant center.
Roy Hibbert's stats with the Pacers:
GP GS PPG APG RPG BPG FG 3PT FT
532 492 11.1 1.4 6.8 1.9 50.0% 27.3% 74.8%
7. Ron Artest
Ron Artest
Ron Artest
Credit AP Photo/Duane Burleson - Scanpix
Ron Artest's time in Indiana may have been turbulent, but it was unforgettable.
Acquired in 2002, Artest quickly established himself as the league's most feared defender.
In 2004, he was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year, a testament to his suffocating on-ball pressure and relentless physicality.
He was also an All-Star that same season and the defensive engine of a Pacers team that won 61 games.
Of course, his tenure will always be linked to the infamous Malice at the Palace, but that incident shouldn't overshadow his elite play.
Artest's time in Indiana was intense, passionate, and defined by defense—the type of player every coach wants on their side.
Ron Artest's stats with the Pacers:
GP GS PPG APG RPG 2PG FG 3PT FT
193 193 16.5 5.2 3.0 2.2 42.9% 31.2% 72.9%
6. Tyrese Haliburton
Tyrese Haliburton
Tyrese Haliburton
Credit IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect - Scanpix
Tyrese Haliburton has already made a major impact and has become one of the most famous Pacers players.
He earned two All-Star selections, an All-NBA Third Team nod in the 2023-24 season, and in that same year, he led the league in assists while also setting the Pacers' single-season assists record.
More importantly, Haliburton played a key role in guiding the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024 and the NBA Finals in 2025, before suffering a devastating Achilles injury at the start of Game 7.
Since arriving in Indiana via the 2022 trade that sent Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento, Haliburton has transformed into the Pacers' new franchise cornerstone.
No longer just a solid complementary piece, he has averaged double-digit assists in both of his full seasons with the team and established himself as one of the league's most efficient and creative playmakers.
While his Pacers legacy is still being written, Haliburton is already drawing comparisons to a player like Steve Nash—someone who elevates his teammates, dominates as a passer, and scores from all over the floor.
Tyrese Haliburton's stats with the Pacers (as of the end of the 2024-2025 season) :
GP GS PPG APG RPG SPG FG 3PT FT
224 224 19.5 10.1 3.8 1.5 48.2% 38.6% 85.8%
5. George McGinnis
Few players in Pacers history were as physically dominant and versatile as George McGinnis.
A 6'8" powerhouse with guard-like ball-handling, McGinnis was a matchup nightmare.
He helped the Pacers capture two ABA titles and earned ABA MVP honors in 1975 after averaging an eye-popping 29.8 points, 14.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game.
McGinnis could do it all—score, rebound, pass—and he did it with flair. After a successful stint with the 76ers in the NBA, he returned to Indiana to conclude his career, where his legacy remains legendary.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017, cementing his place among Pacers' players.
George McGinnis' stats with the Pacers:
GP GS PPG APG RPG SPG FG 3PT FT
455 - 20.5 3.3 10.8 1.7 45.1% - 62.0%
4. Mel Daniels
Long before the Pacers were an NBA franchise, they were the kings of the ABA—and no one represented that dominance better than Mel Daniels.
A ferocious rebounder and relentless competitor, Daniels anchored the team to three ABA championships in the 1970s.
He was a two-time ABA MVP and the league's all-time rebounding leader, averaging nearly 15 boards per game across his career.
Daniels brought toughness, pride, and leadership to the Pacers' early identity, setting a foundation for decades to come.
Though his career ended before Indiana joined the NBA, his impact was so great that the Pacers retired his number, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Mel Daniels' stats with the Pacers:
GP GS PPG APG RPG BPG FG 3PT FT
479 - 19.0 1.8 16.4 1.0 48.6% - 70.4%
3. Paul George
Paul George
Paul George
Credit USA Today Sports - Scanpix
Paul George arrived in Indiana as a raw talent but quickly evolved into one of the league's premier two-way players.
After taking the reins from Danny Granger, PG-13 led the Pacers to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals in 2013 and 2014, giving LeBron James and the Heat all they could handle.
George's smooth offensive game—highlighted by deep threes, slick drives, and midrange mastery—combined with elite perimeter defense made him a nightmare matchup.
He earned four All-Star nods and three All-Defensive Team selections with the Pacers, cementing his place as a franchise cornerstone.
Despite one of the worst basketball injuries ever in 2014, George came back stronger and continued to shine before eventually being traded in 2017.
His Indiana legacy? A leader who brought the Pacers back into title contention.
Paul George's stats with the Pacers:
GP GS PPG APG RPG SPG FG 3PT FT
448 387 18.1 3.2 6.3 1.7 44.1% 38.3% 81.4%
2. Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine O'Neal
Credit REUTERS/Brent Smith - Scanpix
When the Pacers traded for Jermaine O'Neal in 2000, they were betting on potential. That bet paid off—O'Neal became the face of the franchise in the post-Miller era.
With six All-Star appearances and three All-NBA selections, he developed into one of the most dominant big men of the early 2000s.
O'Neal's game was a blend of shot-blocking, rebounding, and smooth post moves.
His best season came in 2003–04, when he averaged 20.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, and nearly 3 blocks per game while leading Indiana to 61 wins and the Eastern Conference Finals.
Injuries and the fallout from the Malice at the Palace cut his rise short, but his legacy as one of the all-time Pacers remains firmly intact.
Jermaine O'Neal's stats with the Pacers:
GP GS PPG APG RPG BPG FG 3PT FT
514 497 18.7 2.0 9.6 2.4 45.9% 12.1% 71.4%
1. Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller
Credit X00261 - Scanpix
For nearly two decades, Reggie Miller was the Indiana Pacers' basketball
He spent his entire 18-year career in Indianapolis, becoming one of the best sharpshooters in NBA history.
Known for his fearless three-point shooting and unmatched confidence in crunch time, Miller built his legacy on big moments—none more legendary than his 8 points in 9 seconds against the Knicks in 1995.
A five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection, Reggie finished his career with 25,279 points, making him the franchise's all-time scoring leader and ranked among the greatest shooting guards of all time.
He retired as the NBA's all-time leader in three-pointers made and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
To this day, no one has worn the Pacers jersey with more pride or impact.
Reggie Miller's stats with the Pacers:
GP GS PPG APG RPG SPG FG 3PT FT
1389 1304 18.2 3.0 3.0 1.1 47.1% 39.5% 88.8%
[
Thank you for reading us! Help us even more.](https://basketnews.com/plus?utm_source=basketnews_com&utm_medium=bn_plus&utm_id=UA-259273-31&utm_campaign=banners_free_content_for_not_members_bottom_6)