George McGinnis

Education

George Washington Community High School.

Career

He was drafted into the American Bar Association from Indiana University in 1971. In the 1970-1971 season at Indiana, McGinnis became the first sophomore to lead the Big Ten in scoring and rebounding. He averaged 29.9 points per game in his lone season in Bloomington earning All-American and All-Big Ten Honors in 1971.

George McGinnis was one of the marquee players of the American Bar Association, and later teamed up with fellow American Bar Association alumni Julius Erving and Caldwell Jones on the Philadelphia 76ers that made the National Basketball Association Finals in 1977.

McGinnis was traded to the Denver Nuggets in 1978. Two years later, the Pacers reacquired him in a trade for high-scoring forward Alex English.

However, McGinnis was only a shadow of his former self, and contributed very little during his two-year return to Indiana. Meanwhile, English went on to become one of the most prolific scorers in National Basketball Association history.

This transaction is now considered among the worst (if not the worst) trades in Pacers history, as well as one of the most lopsided deals in National Basketball Association history.

McGinnis is one of four players (the others are Roger Brown, Reggie Miller, and Mel Daniels) to have his jersey (#30) retired by the Pacers. McGinnis set an Indiana state tournament scoring record with 148 points in his final four games. He was also named Mr.

Basketball for the state of Indiana that year.

Of all former American Bar Association and National Basketball Association regular season MVPs, George McGinnis (American Bar Association 1974-1975) is the only player meeting the five year retirement eligibility criterion not inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Second Team All-American Bar Association selection in 1973.

Three American Bar Association All-Star selections (1973–1975). Three All-American Bar Association First Team selections (1974–1976).

Selected as American Bar Association Company-Most Valuable Player, with Julius Erving in 1975.

First Team All-National Basketball Association selection in 1976. Second Team All-National Basketball Association selection in 1977. Three National Basketball Association All-Star selections (1976, 1977, and 1979).

Number retired by Indiana Pacers.

Achievements

• McGinnis attended Washington High School in Indianapolis, where in 1969 his team went unbeaten for the season and won the state championship. Won the American Bar Association scoring title in 1975.

Membership

Member of the 1972 and 1973 Indiana Pacers American Bar Association championship teams. Member of the American Bar Association"s All-Time Team.