INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — George McGinnis spent his teenage years sneaking into Pacers games at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
He finished his Hall of Fame career as one of the most popular, respected and decorated basketball players in Pacers history.
The pioneering power forward, who captivated ABA and NBA fans with his one-handed jump shot, outlandish athleticism and pioneering spirit, died early Thursday morning. McGuinness was 73 years old.
The Indiana Pacers said he died from complications of a heart attack he suffered last week at his home. McGuinness has also struggled to walk in recent years after undergoing multiple back surgeries due to a genetic condition.
McGinnis was the consummate Hoosier, listening to high school games from the parking lot of Hinkle Fieldhouse, relying on friendly mentors to introduce him to professional basketball and becoming a goodwill ambassador for his state’s top sport.
It all started with one game in the late 1960s.
“It was professional basketball and that was the first time I had seen it,” McGuinness told The Associated Press in 2021. He added: “They had an NBA game on TV once a week or so, but seeing the professional game up close was one of the most interesting things.” The most special times of my life.”
Basketball turned McGuinness into a celebrity whose career path saw him bump into some of Indiana basketball’s biggest names — Oscar Robertson, Rick Mount, Larry Bird, Bobby “Slick” Leonard, Bob Knight and dozens of others over the years.
His deep and deliberate speaking style and his warm personality and His passion for sports helped him bond With fans watching him go from prep star to unstoppable force in his only college season at Indiana before eventually leading the Pacers to two of their three ABA titles.
“From his all-state high school days to his time as an IU All-American, and of course to his legendary ABA Championship run with the Pacers, George McGuinness shaped many of the fondest basketball memories for generations of Hoosiers,” said Simon Family and Pacers Sports. & Entertainment in a statement. “He was the very definition of an Indiana basketball legend, champion, and Hall of Fame athlete.”
McGinnis was changing the game long before he made it to the pros.
After watching Robertson lead Indianapolis Crispus Attucks to Indiana’s first undefeated state championship in 1956, McGuinness matched it by beating Indianapolis Washington by a score of 31-0 and the third perfect season in Indiana state history.
Both Robertson and McGinnis improved their games at Indianapolis’ famous Lockefield Dust Bowl.
McGuinness followed that championship by scoring 53 points and grabbing 30 rebounds in Game 2 of the annual Indiana-Kentucky All-Star Series that summer.
In the first match, McGinnis scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
“I didn’t think it was too bad, but one of the Kentucky players wasn’t a big fan of the game I played or my game, so I didn’t want to leave a bad impression on him,” McGuinness said at his Hall of Fame induction. Incitement in 2017.
He also ended up playing for some of the best coaches in the state, most notably Leonard, who won 573 games in 14 seasons as a head coach, all but three of those years with the Pacers. Leonard also made the winning free throw in the 1953 NCAA Championship game to capture the Hoosiers’ second national title.
“He was the best coach I ever played for on the last shot, in pressure situations,” McGuinness once said. “In the seventh game, he changed the entire offense. He was a genius. I think that’s why the Pacers won all three championships in the seventh game on the road.”
But the 6-foot-8, 235-pound McGinnis was ahead of his time in more ways than anyone could have imagined in the 1970s.
After his only college season, McGuinness benefited from Spencer Haywood’s Supreme Court victory in 1971 that allowed underclassmen to turn pro under the hardship rule just two years after his father, Burnie, was killed in a fall from scaffolding. McGuinness signed with his hometown team, the Pacers.
He used those long strides, a powerful, elegant style and incredible passing ability to make three ABA All-Star teams and three NBA All-Star teams, earning multiple All-ABA and All-NBA selections and winning the 1973 ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award in just his second professional season . After making the ABA’s rookie team in 1971-72, he earned All-NBA honors in his first season (1975-76) in the more established league by becoming a key part of the Philadelphia 76ers’ rebuilding project.
McGinnis’ best season came in 1974-75 when he won the ABA scoring title (29.8 points per game), finished second in steals (2.6), third in assists (6.3) and fifth in rebounds (14.3). He shared the league’s Most Valuable Player award with Hall of Famer Julius Erving, a future teammate in Philadelphia.
For McGinnis, it was preparation for a historic playoff performance that included a 51-point, 17-rebound, 10-assist triple-double and becoming the first player in either league to reach 200 points, 100 rebounds and 50 assists in a single season. series. He’s already done it twice, in a row.
Although he did not win a third title, McGuinness led the playoffs in scoring (581 points), rebounds (286) and assists (148).
These numbers helped fuel McGinnis’s next pioneering effort – switching leagues on his own terms.
With the ABA struggling financially and The 76ers still retain his contractual rights Two years after he was drafted in 1973, Leonard once said he advised McGuinness to seek more money in the NBA. McGuinness wanted to negotiate with a team of his choice and initially signed a six-year, $2.4 million contract with the New York Knicks.
When NBA Commissioner Larry O’Brien voided the deal and punished the Knicks, McGuinness accepted a six-year, $3.2 million contract with the 76ers that included no-cut, no-trade, and no-option clauses.
“Let George do it” was the team’s motto in McGuinness’ first season in Philadelphia.
He succeeded by leading the 76ers to their first playoff appearance since 1970-71 and Philadelphia saw average home attendance increase by more than 5,000 per game. The following season, with Irving on the team, Philadelphia lost the NBA Finals to Portland in six games after winning the first two games.
McGuinness spent three seasons with the 76ers before being traded to Denver. The Nuggets traded him back to the Pacers midway through the 1979-80 season and McGuinness finished his 11-year career with two-and-a-half seasons back home in Indiana.
McGinnis finished his professional career with 17,009 points, 9,233 rebounds and 3,089 assists, was a third-team All-American selection in his only college season and was named Mr. Basketball USA in 1969.
He is also a member of the Indiana Sports Hall of Fame and is one of four former Pacers players to have his jersey number retired.
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ABNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
The basketball world is mourning the loss of American basketball star George McGuinness, who has passed away at the age of 73. McGuinness was a true legend of the sport, known for his exceptional skill and contributions to the game. His impact on the basketball community will never be forgotten, and he leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire generations of athletes. McGuinness will be deeply missed by fans, teammates, and the entire basketball community.