Mel Daniels, the Hall of Fame center who helped the Indiana Pacers win three American Basketball Association titles, died Friday. He was 71.
The Pacers said Daniels died in Sheridan, Indiana.
“I join our extended Pacers family in offering my sincerest condolences to (wife) CeCe and Mel’s family,” Pacers owner Herb Simon said in a statement. “We will miss him greatly, but when we look at that Hall of Fame banner in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, we will be forever reminded of what he meant to this franchise.”
The ABA’s most valuable player in 1968-69 and 1970-71, Daniels was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. The Pacers retired Daniels’ No. 34 jersey in 1985.
The 6-foot-9 former New Mexico star was the league’s rookie of the year in 1967-68 with the Minnesota Muskies. He joined the Pacers the following season and played on championship teams in 1970, `72 and `73, teaming with Roger Brown, Darnell Hillman and Bob Netolicky under coach Bobby “Slick” Leonard.
Daniels averaged 18.7 points and 15.1 rebounds in 628 regular-season games in eight seasons in the ABA with Minnesota, Indiana and Memphis. In 109 playoff games, he averaged 17.4 points and 14.9 rebounds. Daniels spent a season in Italy, and played 11 games in the NBA for the New York Nets in 1976-77.
He was a seven-time ABA All-Star, led the league in rebounding three times and holds the league record with 9,494 career rebounds.
Daniels later was an assistant coach, executive and scout with the Pacers. He also was an assistant coach at Indiana State during Larry Bird’s years at the school.
“Can’t express how much this saddens me to hear about Mel “uncle” Daniels passing,” former Pacers player Jermaine O’Neal posted on social media. “The impact that you had on me as a player and a 20 year old arriving in the city of Indianapolis can not be valued or described in words. Your One on one leadership made me a better player and most importantly a better person and you will be greatly missed.”
“Mel was one of the greatest Lobos of all time,” New Mexico coach Craig Neal said in a statement. “He played for Coach King and started the basketball tradition here, with his teams playing the first years in The Pit.”
Daniels averaged 20.0 points and 11.1 rebounds in three seasons at New Mexico. He grew up in Detroit and starred at Pershing High School.
The Pacers will have a tribute and moment of silence before their game Saturday night against Utah.
“I join our extended Pacers family in offering my sincerest condolences to CeCe and Mel’s family,” Pacers owner Herb Simon said in a statement. “We will miss him greatly, but when we look at that Hall of Fame banner in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, we will be forever reminded of what he meant to this franchise.”
In addition to his wife, Daniels is survived by son Mel Daniels Jr., granddaughters Trisstan and Chloe, and sisters Vivian and Wanda.
