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Philadelphia 76ers: 25 Best Players To Play For The 76ers

By Phil Watson

Dec 11, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; General view of the Wells Fargo Center during a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons won107-95. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; General view of the Wells Fargo Center during a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons won107-95. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 1975: Forward George McGinnis #30 of the Philadelphia 76ers shots while under pressure from center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers during a National Basketball Association game in the Spectrum in October 1975 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. McGinnis was in his first season with the NBA Sixers. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA – OCTOBER 1975: Forward George McGinnis #30 of the Philadelphia 76ers shots while under pressure from center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers during a National Basketball Association game in the Spectrum in October 1975 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. McGinnis was in his first season with the NBA Sixers. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) /

93. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Free agent, July 10, 1975.. PF. . George McGinnis. 11. player

It took a few years, but the Philadelphia 76ers finally got their man when they signed power forward George McGinnis as a free agent in July 1975.

The 76ers had selected the former Indiana star in the second round of the 1973 NBA Draft … just after he had completed his first All-Star season with the ABA’s Indiana Pacers.

PHI_11_MCGINNIS
PHI_11_MCGINNIS /

McGinnis was the reigning co-MVP of the ABA when he signed with the Sixers and he delivered. He was a two-time All-Star, a two-time All-NBA pick and finished fifth in the MVP voting in 1975-76.

He was also second in the NBA in steals in 1975-76.

McGinnis, however, struggled in the 1977 NBA Finals, averaging 13 points, 9.3 rebounds, three assists and a steal in 28.8 minutes per game, shooting just 38.8 percent from the floor and 51.6 percent at the line in the six-game loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

In August 1978, he was traded with the rights to 21st overall pick Mike Evans to the Denver Nuggets for Bobby Jones, Ralph Simpson and a first-round pick in 1984.

In three seasons in Philadelphia, McGinnis averaged 21.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.1 steals in 35.2 minutes per game, shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 71.4 percent at the foul line.

McGinnis signed with the Pacers after his sophomore year at Indiana and was a three-time ABA All-Star and three-time All-ABA pick besides sharing MVP honors with future Philadelphia teammate Julius Erving in 1974-75, when he led the ABA in scoring.

He earned an All-Star berth with the Nuggets in 1979 before being traded back to Indiana in February 1980. Waived in October 1982, McGinnis retired.

He was 22nd in ABA history with 4,056 rebounds, sixth with 525 steals, 21st with 7,919 points, sixth with an average of 38.2 minutes per game and fifth with averages of 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds per game.

Of players eligible for the Basketball Hall of Fame, McGinnis is the only former MVP in either the ABA or NBA not to be inducted.

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