50 Greatest NBA/ABA Players Not In the Hall Of Fame
By Phil Watson
Copyright 1979 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Dan Roundfield averaged a double-double in all three years he played at Central Michigan, prompting the Cleveland Cavaliers to select him in the second round of the 1975 NBA Draft.
But Roundfield opted to sign with the ABA’s Indiana Pacers after he was taken in the first round of that year’s ABA Draft.
Roundfield’s trip to the NBA didn’t take long — before his second pro season, the Pacers joined the NBA as part of the merger with the ABA and he emerged as a starter for Indiana that season.
In June 1978, Roundfield signed as a veteran free agent with the Atlanta Hawks, with the Pacers acquiring a first-round pick in 1979 as compensation.
It was, by all accounts, a fair trade. Roundfield earned All-NBA honors and finished fifth in the MVP voting in 1979-80. He was also a five-time All-Defensive selection.
In June 1984, the Hawks traded Roundfield to the Detroit Pistons for Antoine Carr, Cliff Levingston and second-round picks in 1986 and 1987.
His lone season in Detroit turned out to be an injury-riddled disappointment and the Pistons dealt Roundfield to the Washington Bullets in June 1985 for Rick Mahorn and Mike Gibson.
After two seasons in Washington, Roundfield was waived in June 1987 and spent a season in Italy before retiring in 1988.
In 12 professional seasons, Roundfield averaged 14.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, two assists and 1.4 blocks in 29.8 minutes per game, shooting .482/.111/.735.
Roundfield drowned in Aruba in August 2012 while saving his wife from the same fate. He was 59 years old.