Mel Daniels Inducted to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Reggie Miller Named as Finalist
There are five retired jerseys that hang high in the rafters of Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Friday afternoon, two of those retired players took one step closer to immortality, in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Mel Daniels, a three-time champion with the Indiana Pacers, was drafted into both the ABA and the NBA in 1967. Daniels played his rookie season with the ABA Minnesota Muskies, winning rookie of the year honors, before being traded to the Indiana Pacers. Daniels went on to become a two-time ABA MVP with Indiana. He retired as the ABA’s all-time leading rebounder and is fourth on their all-time scoring list. Joining Daniels as 2012 inductees are Don Barksdale, Lidia Alexeeva, Chet Walker, and Phil Knight.
A career-long Indiana Pacer, Reggie Miller was drafted in 1987, and played 18 seasons for the NBA franchise. Miller retired as the NBA’s all-time leader in three-point baskets scored. On Friday, Miller was named as a first-time finalist for the Hall of Fame. Other finalists include Rick Pitino, Bill Fitch, Don Nelson, Maurice Cheeks, and Katrina McClain.
The finalized class of 2012 will be announced on Monday, April 2nd, and will be enshrined on Friday, September 7th.
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