Turner Sports’ Reggie Miller joins Dan Patrick to discuss the Dropping Dimes Foundation and their efforts to assist former American Basketball Association players. During the month of June, Reggie, Dropping Dimes, and Castelli have partnered to sell custom biking uniform — or kit, as they are known — with proceeds going to the foundation.
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Dropping Dimes Foundation: Donate Today!
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Over two hundred fans gathered to meet and talk with American Basketball Association legends and Indiana Pacers alumni Darnell Hillman, Bob Netolicky, George McGinnis, Billy Keller, and Coach Bobby “Slick” Leonard.
The Dropping Dimes Foundation joined J&J Allstar Sportscards Shows so fans could get their favorite memorable signed, hear stories about the American Basketball Association, and take pictures with the stars. All proceeds from the autographed memorabilia will go towards Dropping Dimes Foundation’s mission to help former American Basketball Association players and their families.
You can make the ultimate assist by donating today HERE.
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The Dropping Dimes Foundation has made its first foray into today’s NBA, with a new high-flying member intent on making assists for those who paved his path.
Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner, a second-team NBA All-Rookie selection last season, has become the latest Advisory Board member for the Foundation, which helps former players of the American Basketball Association who have fallen on hard times.
“I feel it’s an important cause and something that more of today’s players and fans should be aware of,” said Turner, 20, the 11th pick in the 2015 NBA draft. “These ABA players changed the way the game is played, including right here in Indiana, but most have been largely forgotten, and salaries and benefits were so different then. Some of these guys are hurting, and I’m proud to join several Pacers legends in working with the DDF.”
Former Pacers players and personnel also involved in the Foundation are George McGinnis, Bob Netolicky, Bob and Nancy Leonard, David Craig and Reggie Miller. Miller holds the title of “Mel Daniels Memorial Advisory Board Member”, named for his fellow Pacer and Naismith Hall of Famer who passed away in 2015.
Dropping Dimes President Scott Tarter emphasized that adding a current NBA player, especially one of Turner’s age and rising stature, is an important step for the Foundation.
“We’re so grateful for Myles’ outstanding show of support,” Tarter said. “It’s critical that our message of respect and gratitude for the unsung pioneers of pro basketball extend to today’s players and fans, and Myles helps us build that bridge.
“He has such a great respect for basketball history, and he understands the tremendous contributions made by the ABA players. His passion is infectious and we hope more of today’s players follow his lead.”
Other members of the Indianapolis-based Foundation’s Advisory Board are Naismith Hall of Famers Dan Issel, George Gervin, Spencer Haywood, Louie Dampier, Artis Gilmore, Bob Costas and Peter Vecsey, along with Mack Calvin and Brian Taylor.
Turner overcame a fractured thumb that kept him sidelined for much of the early season to finish his rookie campaign with averages of 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. His breakthrough game came in January on national television when he came off the bench to score 31 points against the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
A native of Dallas, Turner also runs a charitable initiative called W.A.R.M. (We All Really Matter), which distributes food, personal items and blankets to those in need in Indianapolis during the winter months.
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Donate to the Dropping Dimes Foundation Today
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The life of an ABA player is discussed in the third episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA podcast’s summer series — Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s. Jason Mann is joined by Indiana Pacers great Bob Netolicky, who played all 9 seasons in the ABA, and Ted Green, who has produced documentaries on Pacers legend Roger Brown and coach Slick Leonard.
Listen Here:
Discussion topics include: How the ABA forced innovations into the pro basketball world, including bigger salaries and a wide-open style of play; on- and off-court highlights of the Pacers from 1969 through 1975, where they won three ABA championships and appeared in five Finals; the excellence of Roger Brown and how he’s been forgotten among the great small forwards of all-time; tales from Netolicky’s club in Indianapolis, including sneaking in an underaged Spencer Haywood and giving visiting players free beer the night before games; Slick Leonard’s legendary motivational tactics, including nearly attacking Neto with a hockey stock; how it felt to win a championship in 1970 after blowing it in 1969; why Netolicky was never tempted by the NBA; whether the ABA ever felt stable; and how the former ABA players have forged a deep brotherhood all these years later.
Netolicky and Green are both part of the Dropping Dimes Foundation, which helps former ABA players who are dealing with financial distress.
Donate to Dropping Dimes Foundation TODAY.
Visit Hardwood Paroxysm’s Over&Back NBA Podcast HERE.
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The assistance the Dropping Dimes Foundation is able to provide to former American Basketball Association players and personnel is made possible by the generous donations of our supporters. We would like to take a moment to acknowledge a recent special show of support from Ms. Aquarius Ketner, wife of former NBA Pacer Lari Ketner.
Lari’s hard-fought battle with cancer ended with his passing at the age of 37 in October of 2014. The 6’10” UMass graduate was drafted in 1999 by the Chicago Bulls. After the Bulls, Ketner went on to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers and then the Indiana Pacers.
After learning about the Dropping Dimes Foundation, Aquarius was gracious enough to provide us with a donation of Lari’s shoes and suits, all in fantastic condition and ready to serve some former players in need very well. Clothing for former professional basketball players is hard to come by, and her donation helps to fill a void when it comes to much needed extra-large sized clothing and shoes.
This contribution from Aquarius will be used to assist former players in need and will represent a lasting legacy of kindness from she and Lari. Thank you.
Learn how you can donate today HERE.
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Four-time ABA All-Star, Indiana Pacers legend, and Dropping Dimes Foundation Advisory Board Member Bob Netolicky and Foundation President Scott Tarter joined SB Nation Reinis Lacis’s podcast The Handle.
Netolicky and Tarter share numerous stories on the ABA. Bob and Scott both reminisced about the glory days of the league and the Pacers, as well as explained the purpose of Dropping Dimes and the unfortunate financial situation several ABA players find themselves in nowadays.
Listen now:
Topics discussed in the podcast:
02:20 – Scott’s connection with basketball, him rooting for the Indiana Pacers in the ABA days, Darnell Hillman being the favorite Pacer of his;
05:55 – The chemistry of those Indiana Pacers teams, the impact of the Mel Daniels trade and coach Slick Leonard‘s influence on the team;
10:45 – Roger Brown being the best player with whom Bob has played, how Brown was unsure about jumping to the ABA, the finances of that time;
15:25 – A rare radio broadcast of Game 5 of the 1972 ABA Finals between the Pacers and the New York Nets, a clutch three by Bill Keller and a Freddie Lewis steal on Rick Barry;
19:20 – “We Changed the Game” – a book soon to be released on the ABA, which will contain nuggets previously unavailable to the public;
25:10 – ABA vs. NBA, the fierce battles and the animosity being primarily created by front office people;
29:55 – A Mel Daniels vs. Flynn Robinson fight which was halted by San Diego Conquistadors coach Wilt Chamberlain picking Daniels up;
31:45 – The opening game at Market Square Arena, a win against the Milwaukee Bucks in which Bob faced up against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in front of an ABA record crowd;
35:55 – The story behind the Dropping Dimes Foundation, how it supports former ABA players who aren’t doing well financially, the support Mel Daniels and Bob Netolicky offered, the Roger Brown documentary “Undefeated”;
42:35 – The bad conditions in which several former ABA players find themselves in, the lack of a pension plan for which Bob is fighting;
45:55 – Future goals of Dropping Dimes and information about donating to the foundation;
49:00 – The upcoming 50th anniversary of the ABA, additional information on the book;
53:05 – Scott meeting the members of the board, having to tell Willie Wise, Louie Dampier and Dan Issel that once upon a time he rooted against them.
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Pacer Tribute via Stephen Beard, IndyStar
The “Muncie Mortar”, the “Blonde Bomber”, “Commissioner”. Ron Bonham went by many titles. He was a Hoosier through and through, and an exemplary role model on and off the court.
In his basketball career, Bonham was inducted into both the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and the University of Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame (with two NCAA championships), he won championships with the NBA’s Boston Celtics, and was an original first year Indiana Pacer in the American Basketball Association.
Off the court, he served as a public figure in Delaware County, IN for almost 40 years, including several years as County Commissioner. Bonham was so beloved, the county commissioned a “Ron Bonham Day” when he retired.
To celebrate Bonham’s life accomplishments after his passing, the Indiana Pacers held a moment of silence and a special tribute during their 2016 NBA Playoff run. We are sad to see his passing and our thoughts are with his family.
Read more about Ron Bonham from around the web:
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via Lawrence, IN Police Department
The homeless man in Lawrence who lost his house in a fire, fell on hard times, then was surprised with a pair of size 17 sneakers to replace his tattered ones. After seeing his worn out shoes, the [police] officers went on a search for new ones…
To put it in perspective, the average man wears size 10.5. The average NBA player’s foot is a size 14.81. The largest shoe sizes on the Pacers roster are an 18, worn by Myles Turner, and 16, worn by Ian Mahinmi and Lavoy Allen.
Walking into a Wal-Mart or Goodwill, or even an upscale athletic shoe store and finding a size 17 just doesn’t happen. Most don’t carry those in stock. The shoes have to be special ordered and they are pricey.
via IndyStar
“Finding big shoes, comfortable shoes, athletic shoes that can be worn every day for these men, it’s tough,” said Scott Tarter, president and co-founder of Dropping Dimes Foundation, which helps former ABA players who have fallen on hard times. “That’s one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced.”
After the story [first] appeared in IndyStar… Dropping Dimes Foundation — which helps former ABA players who have fallen on tough financial times — donated a pair of shoes.
Read full story HERE.
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Reggie Miller always looked up to his Uncle Mel. Now he’s stepping up for him.
Miller, the Indiana Pacers’ career scoring leader, has joined the Advisory Board of the Dropping Dimes Foundation, filling the position formerly held by his fellow Naismith Hall of Famer and Pacers legend Mel Daniels, who passed away in October of 2015.
The Indianapolis-based Dropping Dimes Foundation assists former players and family members of the American Basketball Association who have fallen on hard times. Other members of the Advisory Board are Bob Costas, Bob and Nancy Leonard, George Gervin, Dan Issel, Louie Dampier, Spencer Haywood, George McGinnis, Bob Netolicky, Mack Calvin, Brian Taylor and Peter Vecsey.
Miller was befriended by “Uncle Mel and Uncle Roger (Brown)” and other ABA Pacers when he was drafted by the team in 1987. He said he wanted to honor his late friends and the league that helped change basketball but whose players received relatively small salaries and have been largely forgotten.
“Mel Daniels knew how essential it was to help those who came before us, especially when they were in need,” said Miller, the first member of the Advisory Board to have spent his entire career in the NBA. “Our generation has been given opportunities as the result of battles fought by these players and we can never forget their importance. I am honored to help continue Uncle Mel’s mission.”
“We’re so honored to have Reggie on our Advisory Board,” said Scott Tarter, president and co-founder of the charity. “What a perfect fit to fill the position left by the great Mel Daniels, who was our greatest inspiration here at the Dropping Dimes Foundation.”
Miller, a five-time NBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist, will assume what’s now called the Mel Daniels Memorial Advisory Board Position.
In February, Dropping Dimes made its first foray out of the state, traveling to Louisville to help former Kentucky Colonel Ron Thomas. Pacers legends Netolicky and Darnell Hillman joined former Colonels Issel, Dampier, Joe Hamilton and Bird Averitt in providing Thomas with new clothes, ABA memorabilia and an afternoon of memories and good cheer.
Dropping Dimes also recently fulfilled former Pacer Charlie Jordan’s wish for a new suit so he could attend church, and also provided him with a new walker, more “big and tall” clothing and ABA memorabilia. Daniels and Netolicky helped him pick out the suit.
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The Dropping Dimes Foundation came together with former American Basketball Association players and ESPN Radio AM Radio 680 to help former Kentucky Colonels Players Ron Thomas (’72-’76) and Bird Averitt (’74-’76). ABA players in attendance included Bob Netolicky, Darnell “Dr. Dunk” Hillman, Louie Dampier, Dan Issel, Joe Hamilton, Van Vance (Colonels’ radio/TV broadcaster), and Lloyd Gardner (Colonels’ longtime medical trainer and biographer). Learn how you can make an assist today HERE.
While in Louisville, the former American Basketball Association alumni stopped by ESPN Radio with former Kentucky Colonel Mike Pratt to rehash stories from around the league. You can listen to the show here:
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