Freddie Lewis

Lewis played a prominent role on three American Basketball Association championship teams for the Indiana Pacers, averaging 16.6 points, 4.1 assists and 4.0 rebounds in seven seasons.Lewis also led a comeback from a 20-point deficit in Game 5 vs. the New York Nets in the Finals, hitting the game-winning free throws with 17 seconds left in the contest.It comprised the thirty best and most influential players of the ABA during its 10 years and 9 full regular seasons of operation, with respect not only to performance at the professional level but in consideration of sportsmanship, team leadership, and contributions to the growth of the league basketball, and irrespective of positions played.As of 2019, he is currently on the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class ballot waiting to join his Pacers teammates Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, George McGinnis and coach Bob "Slick" Leonard.Lewis retired from professional basketball after the 1976-77 season and moved to California, where he spent nearly two decades working for Ozzie and Dan Silna, the former owners of the Spirits of St. Louis.
Frederick LewisHuntington, West VirginiaMcKeesportMcKeesport, PennsylvaniaEastern ArizonaArizona StateNBA draftCincinnati RoyalsPoint guard1966–1967Indiana PacersMemphis SoundsSpirits of St. Louis1976–1977ABA championABA Playoffs MVPABA All-Time TeamPointsReboundsAssistsBasketball ReferencebasketballNational Basketball AssociationAmerican Basketball AssociationMcKeesport Area High SchoolPennsylvaniaArizona State UniversityOscar RobertsonSan Diego1967 NBA expansion draftPacersUtah StarsNew York NetsFinals1972 PlayoffsABA All-Star1975 All-Star GamecenterTom Owens1975 ABA All-Star GameKentucky Colonelsone more year with the Spiritsjoinedregular seasonsprofessionalsportsmanshipleadershippositionsmost valuable playerhead coachThe Indianapolis StarNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame1976-77 seasonCaliforniaWashington, D.C.schoolteacherIndianapolisABA 2000Billy KellerField goal3-point field goalFree throwStealsBlocksABA championship1966–67Cincinnati1967–68Indiana1968–691969–701970–711971–721972–731973–741974–75MemphisSt. Louis1975–761976–77BeasleyHaywoodDanielsJabaliGilmoreThompsonABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player AwardHawkinsMcGinnisErvingMarvin BarnesRick BarryZelmo BeatyRon BooneRoger BrownMack CalvinDarel CarrierBilly CunninghamLouie DampierMel DanielsJulius ErvingDonnie FreemanGeorge GervinArtis GilmoreConnie HawkinsSpencer HaywoodDan IsselWarren JabaliJimmy JonesMaurice LucasMoses MaloneGeorge McGinnisDoug MoeBob NetolickyBilly PaultzCharlie ScottJames SilasDavid ThompsonWillie WiseBob BassAl BianchiHubie BrownLarry BrownBobby LeonardBabe McCarthyBill Sharman1969–70 ABA championsKellerBarnhillNetolickyMillerDardenPlayoffs MVPBeckerThackerLeonardRegular seasonPlayoffs1971–72 ABA championsHillman1972–73 ABA championsFreemanArnzenJohnsonNewton