You can’t get closer than Game 7 of the conference finals, but once again no former Indiana Hoosiers will participate in the NBA Finals. The streak goes back to 1990 when Isiah Thomas led the Detroit Pistons to an NBA title.
Eric Gordon and the Houston Rockets gave it a valiant effort but came up short on their home floor in the final game of the Western Conference Finals.
A total of 10 different former Indiana players have appeared in 15 different NBA Finals, winning eight of those appearances. Here is the complete list of former IU basketball players that have appeared in the NBA Finals:
(NBA Champions in bold)
1990 – Isiah Thomas (Detroit)
1989 – Isiah Thomas (Detroit)
1988 – Isiah Thomas (Detroit)
1985 – Quinn Buckner (Boston)
1984 – Quinn Buckner (Boston)
1977 – George McGinnis (Philadelphia)*
1976 – Dick Van Arsdale (Phoenix)
1974 – Steve Downing (Boston)
1974 – Jon McGlocklin (Milwaukee)
1971 – Jon McGlocklin (Milwaukee)
1963 – Ron Horn (Los Angeles)
1959 – Bobby “Slick” Leonard (Minneapolis)
1955 – Dick Farley (Syracuse)
1950 – Herm Schaefer (Minneapolis)
1949 – Herm Schaefer (Minneapolis)
*McGinnis also won ABA titles with Indiana in 1972 and 1973.
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