The best Indiana Pacers teams have all featured centers with radically different styles.
Rik Smits had a fluid midfield game, but he could do a little bit of everything. Domantas Sabonis was an offensive pivot. Roy Hibbert stopped everything at the rim, as did Myles Turner, but with a different offensive skill set.
They all shined in their own way, and other talented big men emerged along the way. Because of the diversity of styles, ranking centers throughout Pacers history is a challenge, and it becomes even more difficult when looking at the best individual seasons of an Indiana five-man.
Honorable mention: Brad Miller in 2002-2003, Myles Turner in 2018-2019 and Roy Hibbert in 2011-2012
Hibbert made his first All-Star selection in 2011-12 and averaged career-highs in points (12.8) and rebounds (8.8) per game. He continued to improve after that, particularly defensively, and had improved playoff runs. That season marked the beginning of his prime.
Miller also made his first All-Star appearance with the Pacers in 2002-03, when he averaged 13.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. The Indiana native was solid around the basket and helped the Pacers reach the playoffs.
Turner hasn’t been an All-Star yet, but he’s still on par with Miller and Hibbert in 2018-19 while adding incredible defense. He finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting and led the league in blocks while mastering drop coverage. He averaged 13.3 points per game and grabbed 7.2 rebounds. He just missed the top five.
5: Rik Smits in 1997-98
Smits has spent his entire career with Indiana and is a beloved figure in the franchise’s history. The Dunking Dutchman has had several great seasons in the Circle City, but a few stand out above the rest.
The 1997-98 season was one of those seasons. Smits was named an All-Star for the first and only time, averaging 16.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He was efficient and defended well, earning him votes for MVP.
This Pacers team is considered one of the best in franchise history, and they made a long run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Smits was excellent in the playoffs, averaging 16.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. The team’s success and his All-Star nomination make this season one of the best ever for a Pacers great.
4: Rik Smits in 1994-95
Three years before his first All-Star appearance, Smits reached a higher level, especially on offense. The Marist College product had a statistically formidable season.
He averaged 17.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, a career high. Smits received votes for Most Improved Player and shot 52.6 percent from the field. He was in his prime.
In the playoffs, he reached an even higher level. The big Dutch player averaged more than 20 points per game (20.1) while grabbing more than seven rebounds per night. Indiana was one win away from the NBA Finals, and Smits was a big part of that.
The numbers and the team’s success combine to make Smits’ season the best in Indiana and worthy of his ranking.
3: Domantas Sabonis in 2019-20
Sabonis was a pivot-style center who made an offense work. His screens, passes, and assists were impressive and kept defenses at bay. Even on a team with some adjustment issues in the frontcourt, Sabonis was terrific in 20219-20.
That year, Sabonis became a starter for the first time. He averaged 18.5 points and 12.4 rebounds per game, earning him his first All-Star appearance. The former lottery pick also increased his assists to five per game, giving the blue and gold a fun dimension.
Injuries kept the big man out of the playoffs that season, but Sabonis was a solid defender who made his teammates better. He was terrific for a team that finished fourth in the Eastern Conference.
2: Roy Hibbert in 2012-13
Hibbert’s defensive peak was so high that everything worked in the Blue and Gold’s favor. His rim protection changed the way the center position was viewed in the NBA, and while Hibbert wasn’t an All-Star in 2012-13, he was as good as ever from start to finish.
Hibbert averaged 11.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game that year. His defense was a game-changer. He averaged a career-high 2.6 blocks per game. The 2008 first-round pick finished 10th in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Indiana had the best defense in the league.
In the playoffs, Hibbert was exceptional. He averaged 17.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game and was a monster in the Eastern Conference Finals. He was impressive in every series as the Pacers came within one win of the NBA Finals.
Hibbert didn’t receive as many accolades that season as he did in other seasons. But between his playoff run and overall success, it was his best season with the franchise.
1: Domantas Sabonis in 2020-21
Sabonis has improved every season of his career, so it’s only fitting that his final season in blue and gold was his best with the franchise. And the workload he had to shoulder made it the best season ever by a Pacers center.
Although Indiana didn’t make the playoffs that year, the Lithuanian big man dominated the games. He averaged 20.3 points, 12.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. He is one of 47 players to average 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per game in a season, and that’s the only campaign by a Pacers player who reached those numbers.
He was the center of the blue and gold in attack, and anyone who got along well with Sabonis had a great season. The Pacers had a losing record that year, but the team had a net rating of +3.1 with their All-Star on the floor. The wins weren’t there, but Sabonis’ skills and stats were as impressive as any Pacers center. It was the best season for an Indiana great.
To learn more about this ranking, see THE Pacers locked podcast.