Biography Melvin Joe Daniels

Melvin Joe Daniels (July 20, 1944 October 30, 2015) was an American
professional basketball player. He played in the American Basketball
Association (ABA) for the Minnesota Muskies, Indiana Pacers, and Memphis
Sounds, and in the National Basketball Association for the New York Nets.
Daniels was a two-time ABA Most Valuable Player and a seven-time ABA AllStar. He was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in
2012.

Career

Daniels attended Pershing High School in Detroit, Michigan, which also

produced players like Spencer Haywood, Ralph Simpson, Kevin Willis and Steve
Smith. Daniels then played for the University of New Mexico Lobos basketball
team, where he averaged 20 points per game and was named an all-American.
[1] He was the ninth pick of the 1967 NBA draft, selected by the Cincinnati
Royals, and was also drafted by the Minnesota Muskies of the American
Basketball Association (ABA). He chose to play in the fledgling ABA.[2]

Daniels was the ABA Rookie of the Year for the 196768 season before being
traded to the Indiana Pacers, then of the ABA and now in the NBA. Daniels was
the ABA Most Valuable Player in both 1969 and 1971 and led the Pacers to
three ABA championships.[1] Daniels played in seven ABA All-Star Games, and
was named the ABA All-Star Game MVP in the 1971 game.[3] Daniels led the
ABA in rebounding average in three different seasons, and is the ABA's all-time
leader in total rebounds (9,494) and career rebounding average (15.1 rebounds
per game).[4] Daniels also grabbed 1,608 career postseason rebounds.[5]
Daniels played briefly for the NBA's New York Nets during the 197677 season.

After his playing days, Daniels joined the coaching staff of his college coach,
Bob King, at Indiana State, where he coached future Hall of Famer Larry Bird.
Daniels joined the Indiana Pacers front office in 1986 and was the team's
Director of Player Personnel until October 2009.[6]
Honors

Daniels was announced as a member of the 2012 induction class of the

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts on
February 24, 2012.[7] He formally joined former ABA players Connie Hawkins
(1992), Dan Issel (1993), David Thompson (1996) and Artis Gilmore (2011) in
the Hall on September 7, 2012.

In 1997, Daniels was selected as a member of the ABA All-Time Team by a

panel of ABA sports media, referees and executives.[8]

Daniels is one of four players (the others are Roger Brown, Reggie Miller and
George McGinnis) to have his jersey (#34) retired by the Pacers.
Death

Daniels died on October 30, 2015, at the age of 71, from complications after
heart surgery.[9] He was survived by his wife, CeCe Daniels, son Mel Daniels Jr.,
two granddaughters, and two sisters.[10]