Pacers Hall of Famer George McGinnis passes away at 73

George Mc Ginnis. – CC BY-SA

NBA Hall of Famer and Indiana Pacers legend George McGinnis died at 73 from cardiac arrest complications on Thursday. His cardiac arrest had been announced a week before his passing.

The 73-year-old basketball star had suffered difficulty walking in recent years after multiple back surgeries to correct his hereditary condition, according to a statement from the Pacers.

Condolences and tributes from fans, players, teams, officials and pundits in the basketball industry are pouring in to honor McGinnis’ legacy — including from the Philadelphia 76ers, his team from 1975 to 1978.

“George McGinnis was a Hall of Famer on and off the court, earning several accolades during an ABA-NBA career that spanned a decade. He joined our team in the mid-70s and proved to be an incredible force alongside Julius Erving – the duo leading our team to a 1977 NBA Finals appearance. Our sincerest condolences go out to George’s family and friends. He will be sorely missed,” said the Sixers on X (formerly Twitter).

A private burial will be held for McGinnis, and a celebration of life will take place in Gainbridge Fieldhouse in January 2024. Further details on these events will be announced soon.

Professional career

McGinnis started his basketball journey at Washington High School, winning the Indiana Mr. Basketball title in 1969 after he and his teammate Steve Downing helped earn a 31-0 record that year.

Joining the Pacers in 1971, he achieved astounding records, including the first 50+ point triple-double in NBA/ABA history during the 1975 ABA Western Division Semifinals Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs.

McGinnis also became the first NBA/ABA player to reach 581 points, 286 rebounds and 148 assists in playoffs with Indiana. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić beat the record in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.

The Sixers chose McGinnis as the 22nd overall pick during the second round of the 1973 NBA draft. Yet, McGinnis only began playing for the Sixers in 1975 due to contract issues. He averaged 3.6 assists, 10.4 rebounds and 14.2 points per playoff game for the Sixers during the 1977 NBA Finals.

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame included McGinnis in its 2017 class with Bill Self, Rebecca Lobo and Tracy McGrady in April 2017 before inducting his name in September that year.