George McGinnis

George F. McGinnis (August 12, 1950 – December 14, 2023) was an American professional basketball player who played 11 seasons in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born in Harpersville, Alabama, he grew up in Indianapolis and attended Washington High School, where he and teammate Steve Downing led the team to a 31–0 record and a state championship in 1969. That season he set an Indiana state tournament scoring record with 148 points in his final four games and was named Mr. Basketball for the state of Indiana. During his senior season, his father, Burnie, died. McGinnis played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, earning third-team All-American honors in 1971. He began his professional career in the ABA with the Indiana Pacers, where he became a three-time ABA All-Star, was named the ABA Most Valuable Player in 1975, and won two ABA championships with the team. He later became a three-time NBA All-Star with the Philadelphia 76ers. McGinnis was named to the ABA All-Time Team and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.