
"I would hope
that all our players would use him as an example in terms of how to handle
adversity and show strength and character through tough times. Because
through these times he has been a rock. You see it more in his person,
and his play has elevated."
—Former Pacers coach Isiah Thomas
“Jermaine not
only has extraordinary talent, but he also has all the tools to become
a leader of this franchise and this community.”
—Thomas
“He totally
accepts the fact that when we're losing he has a responsibility that goes
beyond everyone else. I have nothing but admiration for him.”
—Pacers president Donnie Walsh
"He has matured to the point where he doesn't act out on the court
because he understands that can hurt the team. In every single way you
can imagine, he's doing everything he can to help this team win."
—Walsh
“The kid has
a chance to be a special player in the right system.”
—Walsh
“He’s
a great person. He looks you in the eye, says ‘Yes sir, no sir.’
He is not an ‘I’ person. He does not talk about his accomplishments.
Little kids love him. You can’t fool little kids.”
—Jermaine’s high school
coach George Glymph
“He’s
a guy that can score the ball, and drive to the basket, and finish strong.”
—Former teammate Jalen Rose
“Everybody knew
the talent he had, but in Portland he couldn’t showcase it. Now
he’s playing like a monster.”
—Lakers All-Star Kobe Bryant
“He’s playing hard, making strong, aggressive moves. He’ll
be the dominant big man one day—after I leave.”
—Lakers All-Star Shaquille O’Neal
“Before, he
would wait for the defender to make a mistake. Now he knows how to make
him make one.”
—Former All-Star Mark Aguirre
“He’s
really explosive around the basket. When he gets the ball in the post,
he’s got a lot of good moves he can go to. He’s a complete
player.”
—Celtics forward Raef LaFrentz
“He’s
murder.”
—Celtics coach Jim O’Brien
He's one of
the kindest, most generous star players I've ever been around.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle
I've seen a
lot of maturity in Jermaine in the last year and a half. What people saw
on TV that one night? That's not Jermaine O'Neal. He's totally different.
Hall of Famer Larry Bird
Running, duning,
making defensive plays—he's the real deal.
Former All-Star Grant Hill
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