>> Many people consider this tobe filed under the category ofbetter late than never, butIndianapolis's George McGinnis
is finally going to be inductedinto the Naismith MemorialBasketball Hall of Fame.Bill Benner has more in this
week's Inside Indiana Sports.Bill ·>> Gerry, thanks.He won the state championship at
Indianapolis Washington, led theBig Ten in scoring andrebounding at IndianaUniversity, guided the Pacers to
two ABA championships and wasnamed the league's MVP and laterwas an All-Star with thePhiladelphia 6ers.
And at long last, the Hall ofFame took notice and announcedthat McGinnis would be in theClass of 2017.
We welcome George to theprogram.I HAD THE GREAT FORTUNE OFCOVERING YOU, AND WHEN THE CALL
CAME WAS AROUND THE ALL-STARBREAK.>> IT WAS SURPRISING TO TELL YOUTHE TRUTH BECAUSE I WAS SELECTED
THROUGH A VETERANS COMMITTEE BUTNONETHELESS I WAS VERY HONORED.>> AND YOUR REACTION WHEN YOULAYERED THE NEWS?
>> A LITTLE SHOCKED SURPRISEDBUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUSTVERY, VERY HONORED TO BE ABLE TOBE SELECTED.
>> INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, ONE OFTHE PLAYERS WHO CARRIED YOURNAME FORWARD TO THE VETERANSCOMMITTEE WAS FORMER OPPOSITION,
RICK BERRY.>> YEAH, RICK BERRY.WE PLAYED HARD AGAINST EACHOTHER.
WE DIDN'T LIKE EACH OTHER VERYWELL.BUT I WILL MAKE SURE I GIVE HIMA SHOUT-OUT WHEN I SEE HIM UP
THERE IN SPRINGFIELD.BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT HEREALLY STOOD UP FOR WHAT I HAVEACCOMPLISHED THROUGHOUT MY
CAREER.>> THAT HAS TO BE ESPECIALLYMEANINGFUL FOR YOU OBVIOUSLY BUTFOR YOUR COACH, NICK LEONARD,
AND YOUR FRONT LINE TEAMMATES,REYNOLDS AND BROWN, ALL OF YOUIN THE HALL OF FAME WHAT ANACCOMPLISHMENT.
>> IT SPEAKS TO FIRST OF ALL HOWGOOD WE WERE, WHAT SLICK SAYSABOUT US IS TRUE, WE ARE HALL OFFAMERS RIGHT?
IT WAS.WE WERE ON A REALLY REALLY GOODTEAM, I WAS IN TWO OF THECHAMPIONSHIPS AND ROGER ILL
SLICK AND BILL WERE INVOLVED INALL THREE TEAMS.THEY LENT THE GROWTH OF THE CITYTO WHERE IT IS NOW AND JUST
HAPPY TO BE PART OF THAT.>> AND FOR SLICK IN PARTICULAR,BECAUSE NOBODY'S TALKED ABOUTYOU KNOW IT WAS GREAT FOR MEL
GREAT FOR ROGER BUT COME ON,GEORGE McGINNIS THAT COMPLETESHIM IN A GREAT WAY.>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYONE
WHO ROOTED FOR ME HARDER THAN HEDID.IT WAS MUCH APPRECIATED.THAT WAS THE FIRST CALL I MADE
WAS TO HIM AND HE WAS MOREEXCITED THAN I WAS.AND IT WAS SO HUMBLING TO BEABLE TO TELL HIM.
AND IT WAS JUST GREAT.WE HAD LUNCH JUST LAST WEEK, ANDDONE A LOT OF TALKING ANDREMINISCING SO IT'S BEEN A GREAT
TIME.>> YOU'VE BEEN IN THE BASKETBALLHALL OF FAME AND THE ONE THINGWE'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOUR JOINING
NOT ONLY THE PANTHEON OFBASKETBALL OF THE GREAT OF THEAGES BUT INDIANA HAS ASIGNIFICANT PRESENCE IN THAT
BUILDING.>> IF ANYONE WHO HASN'T BEEN TOTHAT BUILDING, I HAVE BEENTHERE, IT'S A SIGHT TO SEE.
AND YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED ATTHE BIG INDIANA CONTINGENTTHERE.AS YOU SAID.
I THINK SOMEONE TOLD ME THEREWAS AT LEAST 21 INDIANA FOLKS INTHE HALL OF FAME IN SPRINGFIELD.SO THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES.
>> AS A WRAPUP, LINDA WILL BETHERE, YOUR LOVELY WIFE.>> YES.>> AGAIN GEORGE WE COULDN'T BE
MORE PROUD.YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT FRIEND OFMINE FOR ALL THESE YEARS.AND FOR YOU TO BE IN THE
BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME, WORDS