Jermaine O’Neal Revisits Rocky Past With Late Teammate, Expressing Gratitude Despite All He Endured

Back when Clifford Robinson was wrapping up his 18th season with the Nets, he dropped a line that felt both honest and heartbreaking: “I’m the type of player who will probably get more credit after he’s done playing.” And here we are now, years later, doing exactly what he said would happen. This time, it’s his old Portland teammate, Jermaine O’Neal, bringing Clifford’s name back into the spotlight. It’s funny how the league forgets you… until someone reminds them.

Jermaine O’Neal landed in Portland as the 17th pick of the loaded 1996 NBA draft. At that time, he stepped into a locker room packed with vets and rising stars ready to school him. Holding down the frontcourt alongside him were Arvydas Sabonis, Rasheed Wallace, and the ever-reliable Clifford Robinson. Back then, Robinson was already a certified league veteran. And now, years later, O’Neal’s pulling back the curtain on a story about the power forward that stuck with him and shaped the man he became.

On a recent episode of the Out The Mud Podcast, Jermaine O’Neal took a moment to salute an old friend. “Cliff Robinson, man. Rest in peace, man,” he started. Then, without missing a beat, he cracked open a raw little piece of history. The 46-year-old admitted, “He might’ve been the hardest one, man, because he saw a transition coming.” What he meant was clear: in ‘96, Portland’s roster was shifting fast. That same year, O’Neal arrived as a rookie, Kenny Anderson came over from the Hornets, and Isaiah Rider landed from the Timberwolves. It was a rebuild in motion, and right in the middle of that storm stood Clifford Robinson, holding the whole thing together like a steady, unshakeable post.

Jermaine kept it real on the podcast, laying out how tough those early Portland days really were. “It was a dope squad,” he said, “But then they drafted another four.” That’s when the pressure hit. Jermaine added, “So his mind every day, he going to try to make a hell for me because he know, the replacements are in the building.” Clifford wasn’t about to hand over his spot without a fight, and he made sure Jermaine felt that heat daily. Hard fouls, sharp words, and nonstop competition. It was all part of the deal. Jermaine admitted, “You know, they already got a plan for me four years down the road. And he’s been there at the full position. So every day he has something to say every day, hard fouls and everything.” 

PORTLAND, OR – NOVEMBER 28: Jermaine O’Neal #7 of the Indiana Pacers adjusts his headband against the Portland Trail Blazers on November 28, 2006 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

That daily grind wasn’t just tough love; it was a test. And Jermaine never tapped out. Looking back, he knows that the grind built him. “He don’t know that s–- made me better, bro,” Jermaine confessed. Actually, the truth is, you don’t level up without a little h— along the way. Clifford Robinson made sure of it.

Here, Jermaine was talking about those gritty rookie-year memories. But he has also been vocal for his second home, the Indiana Pacers. That’s where Jermaine hit his prime and turned heads across the league.

Jermaine O’Neal makes a nostalgic return as the Pacers chase their championship dreams

Jermaine O’Neal’s back in the mix, and it’s got that full-circle feel. It’s been 25 years since the Pacers last sniffed an NBA Finals, which also marks 25 years since O’Neal rolled into town. He was the big swing Indiana took after their 2000 Finals loss to the Lakers, hoping to stay in that championship conversation. And for a while, it worked. Six straight All-Star nods and a whole lot of highlight blocks later, O’Neal became a cornerstone in Pacers history.

After lying low for over a decade, he pulled up courtside for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. And recently, Jermaine promised he’ll be back in the house for Game 3 of the NBA Finals, which he did, by the way. “I’m just happy for the city,” he said, his voice carrying that mix of pride and unfinished business. “The city’s been through a lot. It’s a hard-hat, hard-working city with people that really love the team.”

O’Neal previously told people during the playoffs, “I’m hoping this is the storybook ending for the team, man.” Now here we are, with the Pacers up 2-1 in the Finals, and that once far-fetched ending suddenly feels way less like a fantasy.

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