Honoring the life and legacy of George F. McGinnis.

Honoring the life and legacy of George F. McGinnis.

Whereas George F. McGinnis was born on August 12, 1950;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis was on the unbeaten Indianapolis Washington High School team that won the 1969 State Basketball Championship;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis was Indiana’s Mr. Basketball in 1969;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis was well known for his 53-point and 30-rebound performance in the Indiana All Stars victory over Kentucky in Louisville’s Freedom Hall;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis led the Big Ten in scoring and rebounding as a sophomore at Indiana University, averaging 29.9 points and 14.7 rebounds per game;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis became the first sophomore in league history to lead the Big Ten in both points and rebounds per game;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis was named to the Associated Press All-American Third Team and added to the All-Big Ten First Team;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis bypassed his final 2 seasons of National Collegiate Athletic Association eligibility as a hardship case after the sudden loss of his father, Burnie;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis played for his hometown Indiana Pacers for the first 4 seasons of his professional career;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis helped guide the Pacers to 2 of their 3 American Basketball Association championships in 1972 and 1973;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis was the American Basketball Association’s co-most valuable player, sharing the title with Julius Irving, in the 1974–1975 American Basketball Association season;

Whereas, in the 1975 American Basketball Association playoffs, Mr. McGinnis averaged 32.3 points, 15.9 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game;

Whereas, during his 4-year American Basketball Association stint, Mr. McGinnis was named as a 3-time American Basketball Association All-Star, received 3 All-American Basketball Association selections, and was selected to the American Basketball Association All-Rookie First Team;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis then later played with the Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, and Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association;

Whereas, during his time in the National Basketball Association, Mr. McGinnis earned 3 National Basketball Association All-Star selections, was named to the All-National Basketball Association First Team in 1976, and was voted to the All-National Basketball Association Second Team in 1977;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis compiled 17,009 points and 9,233 rebounds in his 11-year pro basketball career;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis is 1 of 4 Indiana Pacers to have their jersey number retired;

Whereas, in 1997, Mr. McGinnis was selected to the American Basketball Association All-Time Team;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017;

Whereas Mr. McGinnis was inducted into the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame on September 22, 2023; and

Whereas Mr. McGinnis passed away on December 14, 2023: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved,