NBA legend George McGinnis passes away at 73

No cause of death was given.

McGinnis was born in Indianapolis, starred at George Washington High School and then at the Indiana University. He played for coach Lou Watson the season before Indiana hired Bobby Knight, who also passed away this year.

McGinnis first joined the Pacers of the old ABA, from 1971-75, credited with being among those who brought personality and productivity to the old renegade league. Eventually, the Pacers and three others made their way to the NBA via a merger, and players such as McGinnis were considered a major reason why.

He then wound up with the 76ers, teaming with Julius Erving and Darryl Dawkins in the famed frontcourt. But despite being heavily favored in the 1977 NBA championship series, McGinnis and the Sixers fell to the Bill Walton-led Portland Trail Blazers.

Still, McGinnis gave every team he played on reason to believe in big things.

He was a two-time ABA champion with the Pacers (1972 and ’73) and made the All-Star team three times in each the ABA and NBA. 

He served a stint with the Denver Nuggets, who traded Bobby Jones to the 76ers in exchange. It was in Denver that McGinnis scored his NBA career-high of 43 points. (His ABA career-high was 58.)

After a couple years there, McGinnis was traded back to the Pacers, where he would finish his career from 1980-82. A 2017 inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, McGinnis retired with ABA and NBA combined career averages of 20.2 points and 11.0 rebounds.

Hoops Wire sends our deepest condolences to McGinnis’ family, as well as the NBA and ABA alums who had the pleasure of knowing him.