Mel Daniels
(1944-2015)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2012
Card Shown:
2012-13 Panini National Treasures
ABA Legends
Position: C
Height: 6’9″
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Mel Daniels was a tough player and a leading scorer and rebounder for eight years in the American Basketball Association (ABA). He helped the Indiana Pacers to establish supremacy in the league. They reached the Finals five times and won three titles with Daniels.
Daniels had actually been selected ninth overall in the NBA Draft in 1967 by the Cincinnati Royals. However, when the ABA offered more money, Mel became the first NBA first-round pick to opt for the ABA instead. Who knows how basketball history might have been altered if he had chosen to play alongside Oscar Robertson in Cincinnati.
Awards and Honors
- Mel was selected as the ABA Rookie of the Year in 1967-68.
- Daniels helped lead the Indiana Pacers to three ABA championships in 1970, 1972, and 1973. The Pacers title teams, the dynasty of the ABA during its nine-year existence, also included Roger Brown (all three years) and George McGinnis (during the last two titles).
- Mel was the ABA Most Valuable Player in both the 1968-69 and 1970-71 seasons. He also came in third in the MVP balloting twice.
- Daniels led the ABA in total rebounds and rebounds per game three times in a four-span from 1967-68 through 1970-71. He is the ABA’s all-time total rebound leader with 9,494.
- In his nine-year career, Mel was an ABA All-Star for seven consecutive seasons from 1968-1974.
- Daniels was also chosen to the All-ABA First Team four times and the All-ABA Second Team once.
Points of Interest
- In 1967-68, Mel’s first professional season was playing for the Minnesota Muskies in the ABA under coach Jim Pollard. The Muskies had a record of 50-28 and lost to Connie Hawkins and the Pittsburgh Pipers in the Eastern Division Finals. Daniels also played for the Pacers and the Memphis Sounds in the ABA and played one season (eleven games) in the NBA with the New York Nets.
- Daniels was involved in his share of fights in the ABA as he knew he could not back down and had to establish himself in the league. The ABA’s $25 fine for fighting did little to discourage the frequent skirmishes in the ABA.
- Mel finished his nine-year professional basketball career with averages of 18.4 points, 14.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
- After his playing career, Daniels also served as an assistant coach, executive, and scout for the Pacers. Mel also worked as an assistant coach at Indiana State during the Larry Bird years.
- His number 34 jersey was retired by the Pacer in 1985.
Statistics
Mel Daniels Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com