Jermaine O?Neal, the feisty power forward of the Indiana Pacers, was yesterday named the NBA?s Most Improved player after posting career highs of 19.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 37.6 minutes per game.

O'Neal received 52 of a possible 126 votes from a national media panel. Detroit's Ben Wallace, the league's defensive player of the year, was second with 16 votes and Dallas guard Steve Nash was third with nine. Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd received three votes.