Mel Daniels

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Melvin Joe Daniels (born July 20, 1944 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American former professional basketball player.

A 6' 9" center, played for the University of New Mexico Lobo basketball team from 1964-67. He was the #1 draft pick in 1967 of the Cincinnati Royals of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and was also drafted by the Minnesota Muskies of the American Basketball Association (ABA). He chose to play in the fledgling ABA, and became one of its all-time greatest players.

Daniels was the ABA Rookie of the Year for the 1967-68 season before being traded to the Indiana Pacers, then of the ABA and now in the NBA. Daniels was the ABA Most Valuable Player in both 1969 and 1971 and led the Pacers to three ABA championships. Daniels played in seven ABA All-Star Games, and was named the ABA All-Star Game MVP in 1971. Daniels led the ABA in rebounding average in three different seasons, and is the ABA's all-time leader in total rebounds. Daniels played briefly for the NBA's New York Nets in the 1976-77 season.

After his playing days, Daniels joined the coaching staff of his college coach, Bob King, at Indiana State, where he coached future Hall of Famer Larry Bird. Daniels joined the Indiana Pacers front office in 1986 and acts as the team's Director of Player Personnel.

Mel Daniels is one of the few ABA Most Valuable Players not called up to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, aside from former ABA players already admitted such as: Connie Hawkins (1992), Dan Issel (1993), and David Thompson (1996).

Daniels is one of four players (the others are Roger Brown, Reggie Miller, and George McGinnis) to have his jersey (#34) retired by the Pacers.