Indiana basketball career stats: 30.0 PPG, 14.7 RPG, 46.0 FG%, 24 GP
George McGinnis could have played at least three seasons for Indiana basketball and probably could still be holding onto the all-time scoring title if he played anywhere near how well he played for one season. In 1970-71, McGinnis was named to the First Team All-Big Ten, as he led the Big Ten in scoring and rebounding that season.
McGinnis scored 20+ points in nearly all of his 24 games played and recorded 30+ points in half of his collegiate games, which is an Indiana basketball single-season record still.
McGinnis is one of the biggest what-ifs in Indiana basketball history; he had one of the best single seasons of all time and is ranked in the top 10 in the following statistical categories for his lone season in Bloomington:
- Points (single season): 719 in 1970-71 (6th)
- Points per game (single season): 30.0 in 1970-71 (1st)
- Field goals made (single season): 283 in 1970-71 (5th)
- Field goal attempts (single season): 615 in 1970-71 (1st)
- Free throw attempts (single season): 249 in 1970-71 (7th)
- Total rebounds (single season): 352 in 1970-71 (3rd)
- Total rebounds per game (single season): 14.7 in 1970-71 (4th)
After just one season in Bloomington, McGinnis was selected 22nd overall in the 1973 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. He didn’t make his NBA debut until 1975 when he averaged 23.0 points and 12.6 rebounds in his first season. Second, to Isiah Thomas, George McGinnis had the second-best NBA career, where he averaged 17.2 points and 9.8 rebounds in 528 career NBA games. McGinnis was FINALLY inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2017, along with the likes of Tracy McGrady.
We’ve made it into the top five! More exciting Hoosiers to come!