Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
George McGinnis’ high school state championship ring, Hall of Fame induction jacket and 1975 ABA most-valuable-player trophy are among the memorabilia that will be sold on Nov. 30 by Ripley Auctions as part of the late basketball great’s estate.
McGinnis—a legend in Indiana basketball—died Dec. 14, 2023, following complications from a cardiac arrest. He was 73.
He won the state’s coveted Mr. Basketball Award and Mr. Basketball USA while leading Indianapolis Washington High School to an undefeated season and the 1968-69 state championship. He played one season at Indiana University and became the first sophomore (freshmen weren’t allowed to play) to lead the Big Ten in scoring (29.9 points) and rebounding (14.7), earning third-team All-American honors.
He led the American Basketball Association’s Pacers to two championships and went on to become a star in the NBA. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
“George McGinnis was not just a basketball player. He was a legend who embodied the spirit of Indiana basketball. We are honored to present this collection that spans his remarkable career and life,” said Ripley Auctions CEO Dan Ripley in a statement.
The auction is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. online with bidding also available in person at Ripley Auctions’ gallery at 5451 N. Rural St. in Indianapolis.
Ripley said the auction will include “an impressive array of McGinnis’s personal effects and career memorabilia.”
Among the 133 lots that will be sold are two ABA championship rings, a Hall of Fame ring, a 1975 ABA MVP trophy, a 1969 state championship ring, a personalized Rolex watch, a 1975 game presentation basketball, a 1971 Indiana University letter jacket, a Hall of Fame induction jacket, signed basketballs and photographs, and personal awards and trophies.
An auction preview is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Nov. 30, an hour before the auction is to begin, in the Ripley Auctions gallery. Potential bidders can also make an appointment.
In addition to the Ripley Auctions website, online bidding will also be available at LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be taken.
Indianapolis-based Dropping Dimes Foundation, a nonprofit that provides support to former ABA players, will host a meet-and-greet at 2 p.m. at Ripley Auctions.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.
IU athletics should purchase the letter jacket to display.
Wouldn’t it be great if some wealthy individual purchased the entire collection and donated it to the Indiana Basketball HOF (Herb Simon comes to mind)