Remembering George McGinnis, Born 75 Years Ago Today
- Jake C
- Aug 12
- 7 min read
Cover photo: George McGinnis of the Indiana Pacers drives to the hoop in the ABA. Photo credit: Getty Images, NBAE.
One of the best players in Indiana Pacer history who starred for the team pre-merger and who utilized his star power and ability to become an integral part of a championship-contending team in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers, would have turned 75 years old today.
A powerfully-built, 6 foot, 8 inch, 235-pound forward, George McGinnis was homegrown in the state of Indiana.
Born in Indianapolis, McGinnis attended George Washington Community High School, a school that also produced former Pacers Billy Keller and Marv Winkler.
In 1969, McGinnis led the Continentals to the Indiana state championship. The 31-0 squad was the second ever in state history to go undefeated. That season, McGinnis became the first Indiana high school basketball player to score 1,000 points in a season, an impressive feat especially considering that Oscar Robertson also played his high school ball in the state. The ‘69 team led by McGinnis was an offensive juggernaut, scoring 100 or more points seven times during that season. McGinnis averaged 32.7 points per game during the season and in the state final against Tolleston High School, McGinnis scored 37 points as his school prevailed 79-76. At George Washington, McGinnis was also an all-state football player. In 1995, he was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
McGinnis stayed home for college, playing the 1970-71 season at Indiana University. For the Hoosiers in 24 games, McGinnis averaged 30.0 points and 14.7 rebounds (25.6 shot attempts, 46.0%). He made the ‘70-‘71 All-Big 10 team.
After his sophomore season, McGinnis signed a three-year deal with the ABA’s Pacers. As a rookie, the forward averaged 16.9 points and 9.7 rebounds in 73 games (46 starts) on 46.5% shooting in 29.8 minutes per game. He finished third in Rookie of the Year voting as the Pacers, coached by Slick Leonard, won 47 games and made it to the ABA Finals where they defeated the New York Nets in six games. Mel Daniels, Roger Brown, and Freddie Lewis were the team’s established stars at the time, with Bob Netolicky (15.1 points, 9.2 rebounds) and Rick Mount (14.3 points) playing key supporting roles. Fellow rookie Darnell Hillman, who would become known as “Dr. Dunk”, averaged 7.1 points and 6.5 rebounds that season.
Each of McGinnis’ final three seasons in the ABA were all-star campaigns that saw him finish third in MVP voting in his second season and win the award in his fourth.
George McGinnis’ Stats in Last Three ABA Seasons
1972-73: 27.6 points, 49.5% FG (21.4 FGA), 12.5 rebounds, 40.8 minutes, 82 games, 79 starts, 3rd in MVP voting. Led league in free-throw attempts per game (9.5).
The ‘73 Pacers finished 51-33 and won the ABA title once again, defeating the Kentucky Colonels in seven games. McGinnis pulled down 17 rebounds in Game 3 and scored 27 points (11-of-21) in the Pacers’ 88-81 Game 7 win. McGinnis averaged 22.3 points and 13.7 rebounds in the series (45.3% FG, 40.1 minutes). He was named Playoffs’ MVP.
1973-74: 25.9 points, 46.8% FG (21.1 FGA), 15.0 rebounds, 40.8 minutes, 80 games, 78 starts. Led league in free-throw makes and attempts (6.1, 8.9).
The ‘74 Pacers finished 46-38, and lost in the Western Division Finals in seven games to the Utah Stars. Four times in the ‘74 playoffs, McGinnis scored 30 or more points. This run included 39 points (15-of-27) and 14 rebounds in 48 minutes in Game 1 against the Stars.
1974-75: 29.8 points, 45.1% FG (24.5 FGA), 14.3 rebounds, 40.4 minutes, 79 games, 79 starts, MVP. Led league in makes and attempts (11.1, 24.5) and free-throw makes and attempts (6.9, 9.5).
The ‘75 Pacers finished 45-39 and made the Finals where they lost to the Colonels in five games. McGinnis led all scorers in Game 1 with 35, posted 30 points and 16 rebounds in Game 2, and grabbed 21 rebounds in Game 4. For the series, he averaged 27.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists, while he shot 47.6% from the field in 36.8 minutes.
On July 10, 1975, the NBA’s 76ers signed McGinnis to a six-year, $3.2 million contract.
“He put us on the map,” said former 76ers’ General Manager Pat Williams in 2023 of McGinnis.
Julius Erving did not arrive in Philadelphia until 1976, so for the ‘75-‘76 season, the Sixers were McGinnis’ team. While Doug Collins averaged 20.8 points per game, McGinnis registered 23.0 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 2.6 steals in 38.8 minutes per game and 77 starts. He made All-NBA 1st team and finished fifth in MVP voting. The team won 46 games under Gene Shue, and lost two games to one in the first round to the Buffalo Braves. McGinnis scored 34 points in Game 2 and in the series averaged 23.0 points (47.5%), 13.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. McGinnis tallied 51 double-doubles in the regular season and four triple-doubles.
With Erving in Philly for ‘76-‘77, the Sixers won 50 games with a super talented roster that was led by Erving’s 21.6 points and followed by McGinnis’ 21.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, in 79 games, 35.1 minutes per game. McGinnis shot 45.8% from the field while leading the team in attempts per game at 18.2.
Collins (18.2 points), World B, Free (16.3 points), longtime Erving friend Steve Mix (10.5 points) and Henry Bibby (10.2 points) all finished with double-figure averages. McGinnis made 2nd team All-NBA, and tallied nine double-doubles in the playoffs. In the 109-107 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 6 of the ‘77 Finals, McGinnis put up 28 points and 16 rebounds on 12-of-23 shooting in 41 minutes.
Before a trade to the Denver Nuggets prior to the 1978-79 season, McGinnis, now 27, played one final season as a 76er. The ‘77-‘78 team went 55-27 and led the NBA in points at 114.7 per game. Shue coached the team to a 2-4 start, and Billy Cunningham took over to take the squad 53-23 the rest of the way. In the playoffs, the team lost in six games to the Washington Bullets in the Eastern Conference Finals. McGinnis averaged 20.3 points on 46.3% shooting (16.3 attempts) and 10.4 rebounds in 76 starts and 32.5 minutes per game in the regular season. To open the campaign, he posted 32 points, 22 rebounds, and 7 assists (13-of-26 from the field) against the Detroit Pistons. He posted 34 points (12-of-24) and 20 rebounds on November 25 against the Golden State Warriors. Throughout the season, he scored 30 or more points ten times. In Game 3 of the Sixers’ first round series against the New York Knicks, McGinnis registered 29 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. In Game 4 against the Bullets, he tallied 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Following the season, McGinnis and a first-round draft pick were traded to the Denver Nuggets for Bobby Jones and Ralph Simpson. The Nuggets won 47 games, with Larry Brown leading the team to a 28-25 mark before Donnie Walsh led the squad to a 19-10 record. The Nuggets lost in three games to the Lakers in the first round. McGinnis’ 22.6 points per in the regular season were second on the team to David Thompson’s 24.0. McGinnis was named an all-star for the final time - the third time in his NBA career and sixth time overall.
McGinnis played 45 games with the Nuggets in ‘79-‘80, a season that saw him average 15.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. After those 45 games, the forward was traded back to the Pacers, for Alex English. McGinnis played his final two-and-a-half seasons with the Pacers, averaging 13.1 points and 7.7 rebounds in his next-to-last season. He started four games in his final season.
Overall in 11 pro seasons combining the ABA and NBA, McGinnis in 842 games averaged 20.2 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 33.5 minutes per game while shooting 45.8% on 16.6 shot attempts per contest. At his peak, his free-throw percentage was near the mid-70s (74.0% in ‘75-‘76). In 487 games as a Pacer, he put up 19.6 points and 10.7 rebounds, but in his ABA days there was a consistent 20+ points and 10+ rebounds to be had. The forward tallied 21.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 234 games as a Sixer.
McGinnis is a member of the ABA’s all-time team, and in 2017 was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Before his induction, McGinnis said in assessing his own game, “Big guys in my era couldn’t handle the ball. But I could dribble with my left hand, my right hand, and take guys outside.”
One of the best Pacers in history, McGinnis is part of a top shelf collection of ABA Pacer greats - Daniels, Brown, and Leonard - forever etched in Springfield. Reggie Miller is a Pacer also in the Hall, for what the sharpshooter did in his NBA career.
Said former Pacer teammate Len Elmore of McGinnis at one time:
“Similar size, strength, mobility (to LeBron James). I remember saying it immediately, George was LeBron before LeBron. You couldn’t believe that with his body he could be that agile.”
Erving once described McGinnis as “the quickest player I’ve ever seen for such a big dude.”
Indeed, McGinnis, with his signature one-handed jump shot, was a big dude. Like Nate Thurmond, he looked like he was cut from granite. The former Pacer coach Leonard at one time called his star forward “one of the best the sport has ever produced.”
McGinnis’ No. 30 is retired by the Pacers.
On December 14, 2023, McGinnis passed away at the age of 73. On the day that he would have turned 75, we remember him.
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