Roger Brown (basketball, born 1942)

For other people named Roger Brown, see Roger Brown (disambiguation).
Roger Brown
Personal information
Born May 22, 1942
Brooklyn, New York
Died March 4, 1997(1997-03-04) (aged 54)
Indianapolis, Indiana
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight 205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school George W. Wingate
(Brooklyn, New York)
Playing career 1967–1975
Position Forward / Guard
Number 35, 19, 1
Career history
19671974 Indiana Pacers
1974 Memphis Sounds
19741975 Utah Stars
1975 Indiana Pacers
Career highlights and awards
Career ABA statistics
Points 10,498 (17.4 ppg)
Rebounds 3,758 (6.2 rpg)
Assists 2,315 (3.8 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Basketball Hall of Fame as player

Roger William Brown (May 22, 1942 March 4, 1997) was an American professional basketball player. Brown was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 8, 2013.

Career

A 6'5" forward/guard, Brown starred at Brooklyn's George W. Wingate High School and signed to play for the University of Dayton in 1960, but he was banned from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Basketball Association (NBA) when it was revealed that while still in High School and along with fellow Brooklyn star Connie Hawkins, he had been introduced to a gambler, Jack Molinas, who was involved in illegal point shaving. Brown was never accused of point shaving and his only crime was associating with Molinas.

Brown (right) guarding Doug Moe (left)

With the NCAA and NBA ban in place, he continued to play basketball in Dayton's amateur leagues, and in 1967 signed with the American Basketball Association (ABA)'s Indiana Pacers. He was the first player the Pacers organization signed when they were formed.[1] During his eight-year (1967–1975) ABA career, spent with the Pacers, Memphis Sounds, and Utah Stars, Brown scored 10,498 points, appeared in four All-Star games, and earned three Championship rings. The NBA later reinstated Brown but he never played in the league.

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 Reggie 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.[2] He was inducted in September 2013.

Later life and death

After basketball, Brown served as a Republican on the Indianapolis City Council for four years. He was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1996 and died the following year.[2]

References

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