Mel Daniels has been elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

FINALLY!

According to NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper, the ABA committee for the Hall of Fame elected Daniels to be their one HoF inductee this year.

Ex-Pacer Daniels elected via ABA committee. International, veterans, African-American pioneer, contributor inductees to also be announced.

— Scott Howard-Cooper (@SHowardCooper) February 24, 2012

UPDATE: Here is the official Hall of Fame announcement.

Daniels was the big man and big personality patrolling the paint for six seasons and three ABA Championships for the Pacers. He was the all-time leading rebounder in the ABA by a good bit averaging 15 boards per game to go along with over 18 points per game in his career. Daniels was also the ABA MVP in 1969 and 1971.

His number 34 hangs in the rafters at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and now Daniels' career accomplishments will take their rightful place among the greatest basketball players of all time. Let's hope he's not the only former Pacers inducted this year.

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