3. Roger Brown, 1967-74, 1975
Pacers scoring: 18 ppg, FG: 47.1%, 3P: 31.7%, FT: 79.2%
Hall of Famer, 3-time champion, 4-time All-Star, one of four players with his number retired by the Pacers, Roger Brown was a forgotten an ignored legend for decades. He was the original Pacer, and what a way to start off the franchise.
For five years the Raja was a nearly unstoppable offensive force when motivated (that task fell to Coach Bobby Leonard, captain Lewis and Daniels). The laid-back Brown wasn’t always motivated but the talent was dazzling.
Brown still is the fourth all-time leading scorer in franchise history, with 10,058 points. He led the team in scoring once, and finished second four times, accounting for 18 percent of the teams scoring during those first five seasons. Raja was at his best attacking the basket or utilizing the drive to set up his pull-up jumper. His 3-pointer was advanced for his day.
The majority of Brown’s story — who died in 1997 at age 54 — is a tragic one.
He was initially banned from the NCAA and NBA for somewhat plausible connections to point shaving in his native New York (he also got no public support or hearing because of his skin color).
The only way he could play basketball was on the streets, on asphalt, which hastened the deterioration of his knees. The Pacers discovered him on a lark, and Brown rewarded Indiana with everything he had until his knees gave out, and they began to, at age 30, in 1973. Brown hung on for two more years before retiring a Pacer, the only team that gave him a chance. A chance the Raja made the absolute most of.