Roger Brown
(1942-1997)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2013
Card Shown:
1974 Topps
Position: SF
Height: 6’5″
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Roger Brown, “The Rajah,” was one of the best players of his generation but he never played in the NBA. Brown was playing college ball at the University of Dayton when he was implicated in a gambling scandal that he was never involved in. Guilty by association, Roger was dismissed from the University of Dayton basketball program in 1961 and banned from playing in the NBA.
Brown was also denied a chance to try out for the 1964 Olympic team which he certainly would have made. One of the best basketball players in the world spent his days working on an assembly line in a General Motors factory and playing rec ball on the side for teams such as the Jones Morticians. It was not until 1967, six years later, that Brown got another chance to play basketball in the newly formed American Basketball Association (ABA). The Indiana Pacers, acting on a tip from NBA star Oscar Robertson, signed Roger as their first player. Brown helped lead the Pacers to three ABA Championships.
Awards and Honors
- In Brown’s eight-year career, he helped the Pacers to become the dynasty of the ABA. Teaming with Hall of Famers Mel Daniels and George McGinnis, and with significant contributions by Bob Netolicky, Freddie Lewis, Rick Mount, Billy Keller and others, the Indiana Pacers won ABA Championships in 1970, 1972, and 1973.
- For the 1969-70 season Roger was named the ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player.
- Brown was a four-time ABA All-Star in 1968, 1970, 1971, and 1972.
- Roger was selected to the All-ABA First Team in 1970-71 and to the All-ABA Second Team in 1967-68 and 1969-70.
- When George McGinnis was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017 it completed the Pacers Hall of Fame front line from their ABA Championship teams. McGinnis joined Brown (2013) and Mel Daniels (2012) in the Hall.
Points of Interest
- Roger averaged 17.4 points per game over his ABA career. He had a great first step and was a terrific one-on-one player. He could also shoot an effective jumper or drive to the basket. At the end of the game the Pacers most effective play was often “give the ball to Roger” and let him create.
- Although Roger’s name was cleared, and he had the opportunity to play in the NBA toward the end of his career, he refused. He wanted to remain loyal to the team and the league that had given him a chance.
- Brown died in Indianapolis at the age of 54 after fighting liver cancer for the previous year.
- To celebrate the life and basketball career, and the amazing story of Roger Brown, wfyi Productions and Ted Green Films produced a documentary film entitled Undefeated: The Roger Brown Story (see the film trailer below). I highly recommend all fans of basketball history view this film. I enjoyed it and learned about the trials and successes of one of the greatest basketball players to play the game.
- Here, from Ted Green’s documentary, are the thoughts of a few notable NBA players and executives. Julius Erving said, “The Pacers were the class of the league (ABA), and Roger was the class of the class.” NBA executive Donnie Walsh adds, “He would have been known as one of the greatest players of all-time, but he never got that chance.” Pacer legend Reggie Miller called Roger, “the greatest Pacer ever.”
Statistics
Roger Brown Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com