Close Menu
The Daily Hoosier
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • “Maybe biggest culture change in history of the sport”: What anonymous Big Ten coaches said about IU football
    • More bison clues: DeVries, Cignetti and Parrish all get into the act as mascot announcement nears
    • Here’s what IU football’s CFP path would have looked like under the new seeding format
    • 2026 target Sammy Jackson narrows to four, sets commitment date ahead of IU basketball visit
    • A look at IU football and the Big Ten in ESPN’s post-spring SP+ model
    • IU basketball will head to Puerto Rico for a foreign tour August 5-12
    • Class of 2026 IU basketball recruiting target profile: Center Arafan Diané
    • Clemson’s Brad Brownell confirms he had discussion with Indiana about job opening
    • Sign Up
    • About/Support
    • Jobs
    • Tickets
      • IUBB Tickets (Stubhub)
      • IUFB Tickets (Stubhub)
    • Shop
      • Official IU Store
      • IU Adidas Store
      • Amazon: Support TDH
      • IU Memorabilia
      • IU Press (Books)
      • The Daily Hoosier T-Shirt
    • Radio/Podcasts
      • East 17th Street
    • Pro IU
      • IUBB NBA
      • IUFB NFL
      • IUBASE MLB
    • Forum
      • Disqus Forum
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    The Daily HoosierThe Daily Hoosier
    Friday, May 23
    • IU Basketball
      • Latest IU Basketball News
      • Offseason roster activity tracker
      • 2025-26 IU Basketball Roster
      • DeVries’ new staff
      • Scholarship Chart
      • Future Schedules
      • IU Basketball 2024-25 Schedule
      • 2024-25 Big Ten Standings
      • 24-25 IU Basketball Stats
      • Rankings & Bracketology
      • IU Basketball Media Guide
    • IU Football
      • Latest IU Football News
      • Roster updates by position
      • 2025 scholarship tracker
      • Current roster
      • Curt Cignetti’s staff
      • Future opponents through 2032
      • IU Football 2024 Schedule
      • 2024 B1G Standings
      • 2024 IUFB Stats
      • IU Football 2024 Record Book
    • IU Recruiting
      • IU Basketball Recruiting News
      • IU Football Recruiting News
      • IUBB 2026-28 Prospects
      • Recruit Interviews
      • Recruit Highlights
      • IU Football Recruiting Commits
    • IU Women’s Basketball
      • IU Women’s Basketball News
      • 24-25 Schedule
      • Big Ten Standings
    • IU Men’s Soccer
      • 2024 Schedule
      • Indiana Men’s Soccer: Program History
    • More Hoosiers
      • Fan and Business NIL options
      • IU Baseball
        • Baseball Schedule
        • Statistics
        • Big Ten Standings
      • IU Swim & Dive
      • IU Olympic Results
    • Hoosier History
      • March Madness Classics
      • Basketball History
      • Football History
      • IUFB Best Seasons
      • IUFB All-Time Top 10 Players
    The Daily Hoosier

    IU basketball and Pacers legend Bobby “Slick” Leonard passed away at age 88

    Mike SchumannBy Mike SchumannApril 13, 2021 Basketball History No Comments
    Branch McCracken and Bob Leonard. Credit - IU Archives
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    The IU basketball family lost a legend on Tuesday.

    Bobby “Slick” Leonard has passed away at the age of 88 according to the IU basketball Twitter account and several other reports.

    Leonard was Indiana’s Most Valuable Player in 1952 and he earned All-Big Ten and All-American honors in 1953 and 1954.  The Terre Haute, Ind. native played on two Big Ten championship teams and an NCAA championship team in 1953.

    Leonard made the game-winning free throw in the 1953 national championship game to deliver IU’s second title.

    With the ball and a chance to win the game, Leonard drove to the basket and drew a foul with 27 seconds remaining against Kansas.  He would go to the line for two shots and a chance to deliver the crown.

    The 6-foot-3 Leonard, a 67 percent free throw shooter, missed the first attempt short off the front of the rim.

    Leonard’s jovial nature is perfectly illustrated by his recall of his winning shot from the charity stripe.

    “They said Branch (McCracken) said you had ice water in your veins,” Leonard says he was informed after the game by reporters.

    “If it was ice water, it sure felt warm running down my leg,” Leonard playfully recalled his response years later.

    Both IU head coach Mike Woodson and Director of Athletics Scott Dolson released statements on Leonard.

    “Slick has meant so much to me for such a long time,” Woodson said.  “Take a moment and think about this. He has meant as much as anyone in the state of Indiana when it comes to the game of basketball. He played the game with great flair. He coached with undeniable passion. His smile put everyone at ease. The man was a champion through and through whether it was with the Pacers organization or at Indiana University. Without question, he was a Hall of Fame human being. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loving wife, Nancy, their children and everyone he touched on a daily basis.”

    “I am heartbroken by the passing of Slick, and my heart goes out to his wife, Nancy, and the entire Leonard family,” said Dolson. “He was a Hoosier basketball legend, but more than anything, he was a Hoosier legend. Slick has been one of our state’s most beloved basketball figures for seven decades, someone who loved the game and dedicated his life to it. In addition to loving the sport of basketball, Slick and Nancy also loved IU. There was no alum that I enjoyed seeing more when he returned for a game than him. His stories were priceless and endless. He will be dearly missed.”

    Leonard played seven years in the NBA with the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers and spent 12 years as the Indiana Pacers’ head coach (1968-1980) where he won 529 games and three ABA championships.

    Leonard returned to the Pacers in 1985 as a color commentator, first for television with Jerry Baker, then on radio, where he remained alongside Mark Boyle on WFNI 1070 AM.  He called Pacers’ games for 35 years and was well known for his “Boom Baby” call when the team made a 3-pointer.

    He is a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and was the first person inducted into the Indiana University Sports Hall of Fame. He was voted by a national sportswriters and broadcasters association as the ABA’s All-Time Coach. He was honored as a member of Indiana University’s All-Century Basketball Team.

    On February 14, 2014, Leonard was named as a 2014 inductee to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and he was formally inducted on August 8 of that year.

    Leonard is one of just six individuals in Pacers history to have a banner raised in his honor. Hanging from the rafters of Bankers Life Fieldhouse is a banner honoring Leonard and his 529 victories as coach of the Pacers.

    A native of Terre Haute, Ind., Leonard lived in the northern Indianapolis suburbs with his wife, Nancy.  The couple met at IU and would have celebrated their 67th anniversary this summer.  They have five children and seven grandchildren.

    RIP to the Terre Haute native & 1953 National Champion. pic.twitter.com/RJxhR7zsK4

    — Indiana Basketball (@IndianaMBB) April 13, 2021


    Find us on Facebook:  thedailyhoosier

    You can follow us on Twitter:  @daily_hoosier

    The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”

    Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no additional cost to you.

    Related

    Bobby Leonard indiana hoosiers
    Mike Schumann

    Keep Reading

    IU basketball will head to Puerto Rico for a foreign tour August 5-12

    Clemson’s Brad Brownell confirms he had discussion with Indiana about job opening

    Former IU basketball forward Race Thompson back for the 2025 Assembly Ball TBT squad

    Latest Hoosier News
    • “Maybe biggest culture change in history of the sport”: What anonymous Big Ten coaches said about IU football
    • More bison clues: DeVries, Cignetti and Parrish all get into the act as mascot announcement nears
    • Here’s what IU football’s CFP path would have looked like under the new seeding format
    • 2026 target Sammy Jackson narrows to four, sets commitment date ahead of IU basketball visit
    • A look at IU football and the Big Ten in ESPN’s post-spring SP+ model
    • IU basketball will head to Puerto Rico for a foreign tour August 5-12
    • Class of 2026 IU basketball recruiting target profile: Center Arafan Diané
    Sign Up



    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    © 2025 The Daily Hoosier, LLC.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Ad Blocker Enabled!
    Ad Blocker Enabled!
    Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please support us by disabling your Ad Blocker.