Slick Makes The Hall Of Fame

Bobby “Slick” Leonard is on his way to the Basketball Hall of Fame. The former Indiana Pacers coach and current broadcaster got the news on Friday.

Leonard was the Pacers’ first coach, leading the team to 529 wins and three ABA championships over 12 seasons. For those too young to remember Leonard on the sidelines, he may be best known for his nearly three decades of color commentary during Pacers broadcasts, with his signature “Boom Baby!” call.

The coach is the fourth Pacer to join the Hall. Mel Daniels and Roger Brown, stars of the ABA years, and Reggie Miller have been part of the two most recent classes of inductees.

Before coaching, Leonard enjoyed a distinguished playing career through high school and college and as a pro. He was a two-time All-American at Indiana University, and was captain of the Hoosiers’ 1953 NCAA championship team. He played seven years in the NBA with the Minneapolis/ Los Angeles Lakers.

The Terre Haute native was named as one of the state’s “50 Greatest Players,” and is a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. He was the first person inducted into the Indiana University Sports Hall of Fame, and was recently honored as a member of IU’s All-Century Basketball Team.