ABA Pacers, including Mel, celebrate Slick Leonard going into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Pacers will honor and celebrate the life of Hall of Famer Mel Daniels Thursday at a public memorial service. It’ll be held at Bankers Life Fieldhouse at 1:00 p.m. and many of his former teammates and other Pacers will be on hand.
Daniels played for the ABA Pacers from 1968-1974 and was part of the franchise’s three ABA titles (1970, 1972, 1973). He was voted league MVP in 1969 and 1971, and was a seven-time ABA All-Star. Daniels cared deeply for the team and was often around the Fieldhouse, most recently Thursday night — roughly 15 hours before he passed away.
Pacers greats Reggie Miller, Dale Davis, and Jeff Foster are among those expected to attend, according to Mark Montieth.
Daniels, whose body will be cremated per Montieth, passed away at 71 years old last Friday at his farm in northern Indiana. He had recently underwent open heart surgery.
The Pacers held a moment of silence for Daniels prior to their game against the Utah Jazz last Saturday.