George McGinnis in the prime of his basketball life was one of the most overpowering, entertaining players to watch on a court, a man who could do anything with a ball better than most.

The phrase “Did you see that?” was practically invented for McGinnis.

It might be scoring. It might be rebounding. And he was a sharp passer for someone standing 6-foot-8 and weighing 240 pounds. It was another great, Julius Erving, who called McGinnis “built like Superman” as they shared time with the Philadelphia 76ers.

George died Thursday at 73 from complications of a heart attack suffered at his Indiana home the week before. There have been many words written about McGinnis the player in the last two days but an equal number extolling his genuine personality, kindness and demeanor. He was a superstar who was liked as well as admired.

George was a genial man. When I met McGinnis at his Indianapolis business office, the scheduled topic was basically basketball and playing for the Pacers. But when we began chatting, the conversation took a sharp left turn when he learned I had lived in Alaska for many years.

For many years, McGinnis said he could not resist repeat trips to that fishing paradise for his amusement. While capturing king salmon is a challenging pursuit, it was easy to imagine Big George outwrestling any 50-pound fish foolish enough to latch onto his hook.

Although there really is no actual category for this, I have always contended McGinnis is the best Indiana basketball player of all-time. By that, I mean the player who most excelled in high school, college and in the pros, all in Indiana.

You can argue there were some better overall Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers, such as Larry Bird and Oscar Robertson, but they did not star at all three levels as a Hoosier.

McGinnis was born in Harpersville, Alabama, in 1950, but his family moved north to Indiana when he was very young, so he really was Indiana all the way.

If you witnessed McGinnis play in person about 50 years ago, count yourself fortunate. He and partner Steve Downing led 31-0 Indianapolis Washington to an Indiana schoolboy title and McGinnis was Indiana Mr. Basketball in 1969.

My old friend, Harry Larrabee, who starred for Shelbyville High School before going into college coaching, once told me the finest individual performance he ever saw was a 53-point 30-rebound showing by McGinnis against the Kentucky All-Stars.

McGinnis played one mind-boggling season at Indiana University. He averaged 29.9 points and 14.7 rebounds per game and led the Big Ten in both categories.

Then he turned pro under what was termed a “hardship” rule before his class graduated. George did so because when he was 18, his father, Burnie, died in a construction accident, and he could make money to help his family. It was just this September IU selected McGinnis for its Athletics Hall of Fame.

“I loved George McGinnis,” said current Indiana coach Mike Woodson upon learning of Big George’s death. “He meant so much not only to IU and the state of Indiana but to the entire basketball world.”

Woodson said when he was in school in Indianapolis before playing and coaching for the Hoosiers and in the NBA, he looked up to McGinnis. As a player and a man.

As a pro, McGinnis shone under Leonard. Together, they are represented by banners hanging in Gainbridge Fieldhouse. McGinnis, whose No. 30 Pacers jersey is retired, was a three-time American Basketball Association all-star, and after joining the Philadelphia 76ers, he became a three-time NBA all-star.

Since the ABA was kind of an underpublicized secret in much of the nation, McGinnis got more exposure with Philadelphia, especially from basketball fans who really wanted to see more of his astounding talent.

McGinnis, whose physique has been compared to LeBron James’, provided a self-analysis of why he was so successful in the game.

“Big guys in my era couldn’t handle the ball,” McGinnis told the Basketball Hall of Fame. “But I could dribble with my left hand, my right hand and take guys outside.”

Chronic back problems and surgeries hampered McGinnis’ ability to walk late in life, but otherwise before the heart attack, Superman seemed as capable as ever of taking flight and slam dunking on any would-be defender.