George McGinnis, an Indiana basketball star at the high school, college and pro levels, died Thursday morning. He was 73.
The cause of death was complications from cardiac arrest, which occurred last week at his home, per NBA.com. Loved ones, friends and former teammates had surrounded him at Community Hospital North in Indianapolis since he was stricken.
Named Indiana Mr. Basketball in 1969, McGinnis went on to play at Indiana before starring in the ABA with the Indiana Pacers, helping them to two league championships. He and Julius Erving shared league MVP honors in the 1974-75 season, the final ABA campaign before the league’s merger with the NBA.
He joined the Philadelphia 76ers, who held his draft rights, the following season, kicking off seven NBA seasons. He later played for the Denver Nuggets (1979-80) before being traded to the Pacers. He was waived following the 1981-82 season and retired.
“From his all-state high school days to his time as an IU All-American and, of course, to his legendary ABA championship runs with the Pacers, George McGinnis shaped so many of the fondest basketball memories for generations of Hoosiers,” said a statement from the Simon family, which owns the Pacers, and Pacers Sports & Entertainment.
“He was the very definition of an Indiana basketball legend, a champion, and Hall of Fame athlete. But he was more than that. George was family. A passionate advocate for his fellow ABA players and a present, smiling face around the franchise, George has been as synonymous with our Pacers franchise as anyone. He will be greatly missed, and all of us at Pacers Sports & Entertainment will keep George and his family in our prayers.”
He is one of four Pacers to have his number retired by the franchise.
In his 11 seasons, McGinnis was a three-time All-Star in both the ABA and NBA, and a first-team all-league selection twice in the ABA and once in the NBA. A member of the ABA All-Time team, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
McGinnis, a 6-foot-8 forward, ended his career with averages of 20.2 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He led the ABA in scoring in 1974-75 with 29.8 points per game.
–Field Level Media