

384, respectively), but he is an underrated defender.ĭo not also forget the fact that Granger stayed with the Pacers even though they missed the playoffs from 2007-2010. Granger's shot selection may be just average (his career field-goal and three-point percentages are. He's shouldered most of the Pacers' scoring load in recent years, scoring at least 20.5 points in three straight seasons.

With the exception of his injury-riddled 2012-13 campaign, Granger has proven he belongs in the NBA. I never dreamed he'd be there.I still can't believe it. According to Conrad Brunner of NBA.com, Bird said, "Granger can come in here tomorrow and play. 17 in the 2005 draft, team president Larry Bird couldn't believe it. When Danny Granger, whom many NBA experts believed was a top-10 pick, fell to the Pacers at No. How about a little trip down Pacers memory lane? Wayman Tisdale's smile will always live in our hearts. Sadly, he passed away in 2009 due to cancer at the age of 44. Sports Illustrated's Jon Wertheim described Tisdale as someone "who could play with his back to the basket or spot up, and score points in bunches." He averaged around 16 points and seven rebounds for the Pacers from 1985-89.
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The guy doesn't know how to lose."įor the most part, Tisdale was a power forward who played the role of sixth man, similar to Antonio Davis several years down the road. "Only the great players are capable of making the others around them better. "His confidence and personality make his talent infectious," Embry said. Then-Indiana GM Wayne Embry predicted Tisdale was capable of making his teammates better, per an Apfeature from Sam Smith of The Chicago Tribune.

2 overall behind the Georgetown Hoyas' Patrick Ewing. More than that, he brought his All-America credentials from the University of Oklahoma to the 1985 NBA draft, where he was selected No. Wayman Tisdale would probably go down in Pacers history as the lefty with the most infectious smile. Rather, if a Pacer plays to his strengths, helps make Indiana a better team and makes a long-term impact in the process, then he is a shoo-in.Ī simple trip down memory lane ought to fire up Pacers fans' love for the NBA franchise that calls Indianapolis home. This ranking is simply based on each player's contribution to the team -not necessarily All-Star numbers. That being said, don't expect to see names such as Jamaal Tinsley, Stephen Jackson and the former Ron Artest. This is because it may be too premature to consider the likes of David West and Paul George as some of Indy's best of all time.Īdditionally, all those with serious on-court and off-court issues won't be included. We will also only consider Indiana Pacers who first played for the franchise in 2008 and earlier. As much as we love and recognize the stellar play of George McGinnis, Roger Brown and Mel Daniels, they belong primarily to the ABA era, where they made a huge name for themselves. Since the team broke into the NBA ranks from the ABA in 1976, it has featured an assortment of players who made an impact in one way or another.įor the purposes of this article, we will limit the scope to the team's NBA history, not the ABA. Who are the top 25 Indiana Pacers in NBA history?
