A pure product of Indianapolis, where he was born and attended high school before attending Indiana University, George McGinnis had joined the ABA in 1971 with the… Indiana Pacers, obviously. It was his former franchise which announced his deathat the age of 73.
“George was the definition of an Indiana basketball legend, champion and Hall of Fame athlete. But he was much more than that. George was part of the family” can we read in the Pacers press release.
Upon his arrival in the pros, McGinnis quickly became one of the stars of the competing NBA league, leading his Pacers to two titles, in 1972 and 1973.
1975 ABA MVP
MVP of the ABA playoffs in 1973, this muscular power forward capable of doing everything on the field then won the title of MVP of the league in 1975, with an average of 29.8 points. With his ability to take the rebound, lead the counterattack and find his partners, he serves as a precursor to players like Charles Barkley, LeBron James or Zion Williamson. During his last ABA season, he narrowly missed achieving a triple-double in the playoffs (32.3 points, 15.9 rebounds and 8.2 assists on average over 18 games)
After the 1975 campaign, and the disappearance of the ABA, he joined the NBA, with the Philadelphia Sixers of Julius Erving, another former ABA legend. Together, they reached the 1977 Finals, ultimately losing to Bill Walton's Blazers.
NBA All-Star in 1976, 1977 and 1979, George McGinnis and his famous one-handed shot were even selected to the All-NBA First Team during his first season in the league, in 1976. He would have to wait until 2017 to enter the Hall Of Fame, at 67, and he is one of four Pacers players whose jersey is retired. With him, Reggie Miller, Roger Brown and Mel Daniels.
| George McGinnis | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 1975-76 | PHL | 77 | 38 | 41.7 | 74.0 | 3.0 | 9.0 | 12.6 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 23.0 | |
| 1976-77 | PHL | 79 | 35 | 45.8 | 68.1 | 4.0 | 7.0 | 11.5 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 21.4 | |
| 1977-78 | PHL | 78 | 33 | 46.3 | 71.6 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 10.4 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 20.4 | |
| 1978-79 | DEN | 76 | 34 | 47.4 | 66.5 | 3.0 | 8.0 | 11.4 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 22.6 | |
| 1979-80 * | All Teams | 73 | 30 | 45.1 | 13.3 | 55.3 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 9.6 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 14.7 |
| 1979-80 * | DEN | 45 | 32 | 45.9 | 14.3 | 54.1 | 2.0 | 7.0 | 10.3 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 15.6 |
| 1979-80 * | IND | 28 | 28 | 43.7 | 12.5 | 57.5 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 8.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 13.2 |
| 1980-81 | IND | 69 | 27 | 45.3 | 0.0 | 53.8 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 7.7 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 13.1 |
| 1981-82 | IND | 76 | 18 | 37.3 | 0.0 | 45.3 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 4.7 |
| Total | 528 | 31 | 44.8 | 8.0 | 65.1 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 9.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 17.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
