The Indiana Pacers have a long history, having joined the NBA in the 1976-77 season. Since then, they have made 28 playoff appearances, nine Eastern Conference Finals appearances and one NBA Finals appearance in 2000. Several stars have led the way at every position.
At point guard, the Pacers have fielded some of the best players in the NBA, including a former league leader in assists, an All-NBA general and a transformative defender. What are the best individual seasons for point guard in Indiana Pacers franchise history?
Honorable mention: George Hill in 2012-2013
Hill became the Pacers’ starting point guard in 2012 after Darren Collison left in a trade, and he made an immediate impact. In his first season in charge, the Indianapolis native averaged 14.2 points and 4.7 assists per game.
Those numbers are solid, but they don’t jump out at you. They also don’t underestimate Hill’s impact. He was a solid off-ball player on a team with other ball-handlers, and he made a name for himself on defense.
Hill was a masterful pick-and-roll defender, something current Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle has talked about in the past. During the 2012-13 season, Indiana had a defensive rating of 99.4 with Hill on the court, a formidable number. He made the opposing guard’s life hell and almost helped the team reach the NBA Finals.
The IUPUI product continued to have individual seasons that were better on offense or defense, but overall, this was his best season in Indiana. While Hill didn’t play what many would consider a traditional point guard role for this team, he was nonetheless excellent and deserves consideration for this list.
5: Michael Williams in 1991-92
Williams spent only two seasons with the Pacers, but he reached the peak of his career in the 1991-92 campaign. The Baylor product could score, serve and defend at a level that made the Pacers a tough opponent to beat.
The 25-year-old averaged 15.0 points and 8.2 assists per game, the second-best numbers of his career. He also had a career-high 2.9 steals per game and was named to an All-Defensive team.
Indiana finished first in the NBA in assists that season and second in points scored, with Williams contributing a lot to that. The former NBA champion didn’t spend much time with the Blue and Gold, but his heyday with the franchise was impressive. A lack of playoff success keeps Williams from being higher on this list.
4: Tyrese Haliburton in 2022-23
Haliburton, who still plays for the Pacers, was a brilliant offensive player in his first full season with the franchise. He averaged 20.7 points and 10.4 assists per game while shooting over 40 percent from three-point range. He turned the Pacers into a dynamic, high-scoring team.
That season, the Wisconsin native was named an All-Star for the first time. He wore the blue and gold jersey on an upward trajectory until an injury changed his situation in early January 2023. It limited his total number of games played and made it difficult for Indiana to reach the playoffs.
Still, an All-Star berth combined with ridiculous offensive production makes Tyrese Haliburton’s 56 games in 2022-23 a worthy addition to this list. He was just 22 for much of that season, and his best may yet be yet to come.
3: Don Buse in 1976-77
Buse won a title with the Pacers in the ABA and was a monster at point guard for the franchise in his first season in the NBA. Despite averaging just 8.0 points per game, Buse was an obvious choice for this list.
The Indiana native, who played for the organization for three different NBA seasons, was one of the best defensive backs in basketball in the 1970s. He was selected to the All-Defensive Teams six times in a row in the late ’70s and early ’80s, including the 1976-77 campaign.
That year, he was also a great playmaker for the Pacers. Buse averaged an NBA-best 8.5 assists per game and guided the team’s rushing attack. Indiana didn’t make the playoffs after switching leagues, but its offense was in good hands.
All of this added up to a league-best 3.5 steals per game. Buse was an All-Star that season, and it was one of the best seasons ever by a Pacers point guard.
2: Mark Jackson in 1997-98
Until recently, Jackson’s 1997-98 season was the best passing campaign ever by a Pacers point guard. He averaged 8.7 assists per game that season, good for third in the NBA, and had 713 total assists.
Until this year, both numbers were the best in Pacers franchise history. Jackson’s unique style made him a reliable playmaker, and he was always looking to make a strong, advanced pass. These traits are what made him a worthy choice to be named an NBA head coach after his playing career.
The 1997-98 season was also one of Jackson’s best defensive seasons, with over a steal per game. He did all this for a team that some consider the best Pacers team of all time – they lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals.
In the playoffs, Jackson maintained his production and increased his three-point shooting percentage. He continued to play well on a bigger stage, cementing his season as one of the best by a point guard for the blue and gold.
1: Tyrese Haliburton in 2023-24
Jackson’s records all fell this year to Haliburton, who is coming off a sensational campaign. The 23-year-old shattered the franchise’s old record with 10.9 assists per game, a number that ranks him first in the NBA, while scoring 20.1 points per game.
This time, Haliburton was healthier. He played 67 games, which allowed him to reach a total of 752 assists. This set the Indiana franchise record of 1,000 assists. crown he wears proudlyHe is currently one of the best passers in the NBA.
Haliburton also increased his rebounding rate from 2023 to 2024, reduced his turnover rate and figured out how to be more effective inside the arc. Before his injury in January, he was in some MVP discussions.
Haliburton’s regular season may have already been the best ever for a Pacers point guard, and he was the first point guard to be named to an All-NBA team for the blue and gold. But his playoff success secured his spot at the top of that list. He averaged 18.7 points and 8.2 assists per game in the playoffs, guiding his team to the Eastern Conference Finals. There was no debate after that series: Tyrese Haliburton’s most recent season was the best ever for a Pacers point guard.
To learn more about this list, listen to the Pacers locked podcast.
