Indiana Pacers: 50 greatest Pacers players [2023 update]
By Joe Lyon
3. Mel Daniels
- 6 seasons, 479 games
- 19.4 points per game
- 16 rebounds per game
You read that right, Mel Daniels averaged almost 20 points per game and just over 16 rebounds per game over six seasons. 3 times he was the ABA league leader in rebounds with his best season coming at 18 rebounds per game in 70-71. He is a hall-of-famer and a 7 time ABA All-Star. And just to save you the effort, we here list his accomplishments in bullet form:
- 7x all-star
- 3x ABA champ
- 5x All-ABA
- 67-68 Rookie of the Year (ABA)
- 2x ABA MVP
- 70-71 All-Star MVP
- ABA All-time team
He never quite worked out well in the NBA after the merger, but for a time in the ABA the Pacers had the best basketball player on the planet and his name was Mel Daniels. Remember that.