Roger Brown
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Inducted in 1993
Rogar Brown
Roger William Brown (May 22, 1942 – March 4, 1997) starred at Brooklyn's George W. Wingate In 1967 he signed with the American Basketball Association (ABA)'s Indiana Pacers. He was the first player the Pacers organization signed when they were formed.
Over his eight-year (1967–1975) ABA career, spent with the Pacers, Memphis Sounds, and Utah Stars, Brown scored 10,498 points and appeared in four All-Star games. On March 11, 1969, Brown set a Pacers franchise record with 46 points scored in a single game, during a win over the New York Nets. That postseason, during the 1969 ABA Finals, Brown averaged 25.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists a game, in a five-game series loss to Warren Jabali and the Oakland Oaks.
The following postseason, during the 1970 ABA Playoffs, Brown was named Playoffs MVP after he averaged a postseason career-best 28.5 points a game en route to a finals victory over the Los Angeles Stars, in which Brown scored 45 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a decisive Game 6 victory. Brown would go on to win two more championships with the Pacers. The NBA later reinstated Brown, but he chose to never play in the league. Later Pacers player and hall of famer Reggie Miller considers Brown the greatest player to never play in the NBA. Brown was one of seven players unanimously selected to the ABA All-Time Team in 1997. He is one of four players (the others are Miller, George McGinnis, and Mel Daniels) to have his jersey (#35) retired by the Pacers. On February 15, 2013, Brown was announced as one of five direct inductees to join the Naismith Hall of Fame, having been elected by the Hall's ABA Committee.
Over his eight-year (1967–1975) ABA career, spent with the Pacers, Memphis Sounds, and Utah Stars, Brown scored 10,498 points and appeared in four All-Star games. On March 11, 1969, Brown set a Pacers franchise record with 46 points scored in a single game, during a win over the New York Nets. That postseason, during the 1969 ABA Finals, Brown averaged 25.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists a game, in a five-game series loss to Warren Jabali and the Oakland Oaks.
The following postseason, during the 1970 ABA Playoffs, Brown was named Playoffs MVP after he averaged a postseason career-best 28.5 points a game en route to a finals victory over the Los Angeles Stars, in which Brown scored 45 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a decisive Game 6 victory. Brown would go on to win two more championships with the Pacers. The NBA later reinstated Brown, but he chose to never play in the league. Later Pacers player and hall of famer Reggie Miller considers Brown the greatest player to never play in the NBA. Brown was one of seven players unanimously selected to the ABA All-Time Team in 1997. He is one of four players (the others are Miller, George McGinnis, and Mel Daniels) to have his jersey (#35) retired by the Pacers. On February 15, 2013, Brown was announced as one of five direct inductees to join the Naismith Hall of Fame, having been elected by the Hall's ABA Committee.