It is with a heavy heart that we report the passing of George McGinnis, two-time ABA champion and Indiana Mr. Basketball winner, at the age of 73.
McGinnis was born in 1950 in Indianapolis, Indiana, and was a star basketball player from an early age. He attended Washington High School, where he was a two-time All-State selection and was named Indiana Mr. Basketball in 1969. He then attended the University of Indiana, where he was a two-time All-American and was named Big Ten Player of the Year in 1972.
McGinnis was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in the 1972 ABA draft, and he went on to have a successful career in the ABA. He was a two-time ABA champion, winning titles with the Pacers in 1973 and 1975. He was also a three-time ABA All-Star and was named MVP of the 1975 ABA All-Star Game.
McGinnis also had a successful NBA career, playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, and Indiana Pacers. He was a two-time NBA All-Star and was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 1976. He retired from professional basketball in 1981.
McGinnis was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017, and his jersey number (30) was retired by the Indiana Pacers in 2018.
McGinnis will be remembered as one of the greatest basketball players to ever come out of Indiana, and his legacy will live on through his many accomplishments. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and fans.
