gold star for USAHOF

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2023-24 revision of our top 50 Indiana Pacers.

As for all of our top 50 players in basketball, we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Basketball Association.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, Indiana continued to improve by making it to the Eastern Championship Finals. There were no new entrants, but three elevations.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. Reggie Miller
2. Mel Daniels
3. George McGinnis
4. Roger Brown
5. Billy Knight

You can find the entire list here.

Veteran Center Myles Turner moved to #12 from #17.

Tyrese Haliburton, who was a Third-Team All-NBA Player last season, vaults to #24 from #47. 

T.J. McConnell jumped to #41 from #50.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022/23 revision of our top 50 Indiana Pacers.

As for all of our top 50 players in basketball we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Basketball Association.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, Indiana again failed to make the playoffs but we have two new entrants and one elevation nevertheless.

As always, we present our top five, which was not affected by the last season:

1. Reggie Miller

2. Mel Daniels

3. George McGinnis

4. Roger Brown

5. Billy Knight

You can find the entire list here.

Myles Turner advanced two spots to #17.

The two new entries are Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell who debut at #47 and #50 respectively.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

2. Mel Daniels

Mel Daniels was drafted ninth overall by the Cincinnati Royals in 1967, but the Minnesota Muskies of the American Basketball Association also chose him and offered him more money to sign.  As a rookie, Daniels was a dominating player, winning the Rookie of the Year, but the Muskies (like so many in the ABA) had financial problems, and he was shipped off to the Indiana Pacers for $75,000.

67. Styx

If you are a baseball fan you might remember the sad tale of Bill Buckner whose solid career was completely overshadowed by the ground ball that dribbled through his legs that cost the Boston Red Sox the World Series in 1986. It is a very melodramatic analogy but a couple of us at NIHOF wondered aloud if Mr. Roboto may have been the error that overshadowed the career of Styx.

A sad day has happened for basketball fans and more specifically that of the Indiana Pacers as it was announced that 2012 Hall of Fame inductee, Mel Daniels passed away at the age of 71.  It is not known at this time how he died, but he did have heart surgery recently.

Daniels starred collegiately for the New Mexico Lobos and was drafted ninth overall in 1967 by the Cincinnati Royals but opted to go to the Minnesota Muskies in the upstart American Basketball Association, where he was also drafted.  Daniels was the ABA Rookie of the Year, but business in the Twin Cities was not good and the team moved to Florida and sold the contact to Daniels to the Indiana Pacers.

He would become the rock of a team that would win the ABA Championship in 1970, 1972 and 1973 and would also be named the ABA Most Valuable Player twice.  The Center would also lead the league in Rebounds three times.  Following the ABA-NBA merger, Daniels would play a season with the New Jersey Nets.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the friends and family of Mel Daniels at this time.