Perhaps only the most avid of NBA fans knew of George McGinnis and his stellar performances with the Indiana Pacers, the Denver Nuggets, and the Philadelphia 76ers. News of his passing last Thursday Dec. 14, 2023 at 73 will refresh the memories of those who marveled at his power and finesse during his more than a decade-long tenure in the NBA and ABA.
The numbers he posted and his induction into the Hall of Fame reveal only a portion of what he meant to the sport and his crowd of admirers, a sentiment summarized by the Sixers in a post on X: “George McGinnis was a Hall of Famer on and off the court, earning several accolades during an ABA-NBA career that spanned a decade. He joined our team in the mid 70s and proved to be an incredible force alongside Julius Erving—the duo leading our team to a 1977 NBA Finals appearance. Our sincerest condolences go out to George’s family and friends. He will be sorely missed.”
McGinnis was born in Harpersville, Alabama, on August 12, 1950, but grew up in Indianapolis. He attended Washington High School where he and his teammate, Steve Downing, led the school to a 31-0 record and a state championship in 1969. He set a tournament scoring record with 148 points in his final four games and that year was named Indiana’s Mr. Basketball.
The accumulation of staggering numbers continued in the 1970-71 season at Indiana University Bloomington. He became the first sophomore to lead the Big Ten in scoring and rebounding. In his only season with the Hoosiers, he averaged nearly 30 points per game and earned All-Big Ten Honors and All-American status. He left the college just before the arrival of the legendary coach Bobby Knight and nine years before Isiah Thomas was the team’s star.
McGinnis had the good fortune to begin his professional career in his home state with the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association. He was the immediate centerpiece in the team’s ascendance and championship crowns in his first two years there. In 1973, he was named the MVP in the playoffs, averaging a double double (23.9 in scoring and 12.3 in rebounds) in eighteen playoff games. The following season he was even better, scoring nearly 30 points per game as he powered his way to the ABA MVP.
His most astonishing season was in 1975 when he nearly averaged a triple-double (32.3 points, 15.9 rebounds, and 8.2 assists in 18 games). But despite his herculean efforts, the Pacers fell to Kentucky in the finals. A powerfully built man of 6 feet, 8 inches, and a massive 235 pounds, McGinnis could have starred in football, but his prowess on the court was commanding whether on the Pacers, or the Sixers, from 1975 to 1978, or with the Nuggets from 1978 to 1980. He ended his career back with the Pacers, and his presence may not have been meant on the court as much as it did improving the team’s attendance numbers.
His number 30 is among the retired jerseys for the Pacers, alongside fellow legends Roger Brown, Reggie Miller, and Mel Daniels—and all four are members of the NBA Hall of Fame. McGinnis was inducted in 2017, in a year that also honored Tracy McGrady, Kansas Coach Bill Self, and Rebecca Lobo.