Jermaine O'Neal, American basketball player
Jermaine Lee O'Neal Sr. (born October 13, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player. The center–power forward had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA draft straight out of high school. O'Neal, at just 17 years of age, was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 17th overall pick, and played his first professional game at 18. At the time, he was the youngest player to ever play an NBA game.
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 team, he was voted an NBA All-Star six times, made the All-NBA teams three times, and was voted the NBA Most Improved Player in the 2001–02 season. O'Neal also helped Indiana reach the NBA Playoffs six times, including the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2003–04 season. O'Neal was traded to the Toronto Raptors before the 2008–09 season began, and later played for the Miami Heat, the Boston Celtics, and the Phoenix Suns. O'Neal's final NBA season was the 2013–14 season, which he spent with the Golden State Warriors.