The basketball world lost one of its icons on Thursday, December 14, 2023, when George McGinnis, a Hall of Famer who starred in both the ABA and the NBA, passed away at the age of 73. McGinnis, who was born in Alabama but grew up in Indiana, was a dominant force on the court, winning two championships with the Indiana Pacers in the ABA and earning six All-Star selections in his 11-year professional career. He was also a prolific scorer, averaging 20.2 points per game in his career and leading the ABA in scoring in 1975 with 29.8 points per game. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017, after being overlooked for decades.
A Hoosier Hysteria Hero
McGinnis’s basketball journey began in Indianapolis, where he attended Washington High School and led the team to a 31-0 record and a state championship in 1969. George McGinnis set an Indiana state tournament scoring record with 148 points in his final four games and was named Mr. Basketball for the state of Indiana that year. He was also a Parade All-American and the national high school player of the year.
He then chose to play college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, where he became the first sophomore to lead the Big Ten in scoring and rebounding in the 1970-71 season. He averaged 29.9 points and 14.7 rebounds per game, earning third-team All-American and All-Big Ten honors. He played for coach Lou Watson, the year before Bob Knight took over the program.
A Star in the ABA
After his sophomore season, McGinnis decided to turn pro and joined the Indiana Pacers in the ABA, where he quickly became one of the league’s best players. He helped the Pacers win back-to-back titles in 1972 and 1973, earning the ABA Playoffs MVP award in 1973. He was a three-time ABA All-Star and a two-time All-ABA First Team selection. George McGinnis also shared the ABA MVP award with Julius Erving in 1975, when he led the league in scoring and guided a young Pacers team to the finals, where they lost to the Kentucky Colonels.
George McGinnis: A Force in the NBA
In 1975, George McGinnis jumped to the NBA and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he teamed up with Erving and Doug Collins. He continued to be a dominant player, averaging 23 points and 12.6 rebounds in his first season and making the All-NBA First Team. He was also an NBA All-Star in 1976, 1977, and 1979. He played for the 76ers until 1978, when he was traded to the Denver Nuggets. He spent two seasons with the Nuggets before returning to the Pacers in 1980, where he played his final two seasons in the NBA.
A Legacy of Greatness
McGinnis retired from basketball in 1982, having scored 17,009 points and grabbed 9,233 rebounds in his combined ABA and NBA career. He also had 3,089 assists, making him one of the most versatile players of his era. He was named to the ABA All-Time Team in 1997 and had his No. 30 jersey retired by the Pacers in 1980. He was also inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995 and the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.
George McGinnis was widely regarded as one of the best players to ever come out of Indiana and one of the pioneers of the modern power forward position. He was known for his strength, athleticism, and scoring ability, as well as his humility and kindness. He was beloved by his teammates, coaches, fans, and peers, who remembered him as a legend and a friend.
McGinnis is survived by his wife, Lynda, his three children, George Jr., Evan, and Aliyah, and his six grandchildren. He also leaves behind a legacy of greatness and inspiration for generations of basketball fans. He was, as former Pacers teammate Darnell Hillman said, “the definition of an Indiana basketball legend.”
