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At the tender age of eight, Hudson Mayes stood before a crowd of hundreds in an Indianapolis arena, reading a heartfelt letter addressed to his ailing 'Uncle Mel.' The date was November 5, 2015, and the occasion was the memorial service for Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Mel Daniels, a UNM legend and ABA champion with the Indiana Pacers. Mayes, dressed in a gray suit, delivered the words he had written weeks earlier when he learned of Daniels' illness, a moment that left a lasting impression on those in attendance.
CeCe Daniels, Mel's widow and a UNM graduate, recalled asking young Hudson to read the letter. 'He was a little kid, but he was very poised,' she said. The bond between the Mayes and Daniels families ran deep, rooted in the friendship between Mel Daniels and Roger Brown, Hudson's grandfather, who were teammates and close friends with the Pacers. Brown, also a Hall of Famer, passed away in 1997, but Daniels remained a cherished presence in the family's life, even walking Hudson's mother, Gayle, down the aisle at her wedding.
Fast forward to the present, and Hudson Mayes is now a Lobo basketball player, set to compete in the very arena where Daniels helped build the program's legacy—the Pit, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this December. The symmetry is not lost on CeCe Daniels, who exclaimed, 'Oh my God, it's perfect. Really, I think this is just so perfect.'
A Legacy of Greatness
Mel Daniels is revered as one of the greatest Lobos of all time, but his legend expanded when he teamed with Roger Brown in 1968 to lead the Indiana Pacers to three ABA championships. The duo's chemistry was electric, both on and off the court. Jeannie Brown, Roger's widow and Hudson's grandmother, fondly remembered their antics: 'Oh those two were a hot mess together... They'd have to cover their faces with towels when they were laughing and talking.'
Roger Brown's path to greatness was unconventional. Banned from college and the NBA due to unfounded associations, he spent years working at General Motors before joining the ABA in 1967. The following year, he and Daniels formed a formidable partnership, with Julius Erving once calling Brown 'the class of the class.'
After Brown's death, the families remained intertwined. Gayle Brown-Mayes, Hudson's mother, shared that it felt natural for Uncle Mel to walk her down the aisle at her wedding. Years later, young Hudson grew up knowing and loving Uncle Mel, but that connection wasn't the initial reason he chose UNM. Coach Eric Olen, who had tried to recruit Hudson at UC San Diego, saw his opportunity when Hudson transferred after a strong freshman season. A visit to UNM sealed the deal, and it was only after committing that Hudson's mother realized the profound connection: 'We walked out from the office... I looked up and I kind of said, Oh my God, Uncle Mel went here.'
Hudson is acutely aware of the legacy he carries. 'In my mind, the entire time I'm here, knowing that he went here and holds a legacy at the school, I feel like I have the obligation to kind of do the same and kind of honor that legacy,' he said. His grandmother, however, hopes he won't be burdened by it. 'I know he carries that weight of legacy, but it did not come from us,' Gayle Brown-Mayes said. 'Derrick and I were always very purposeful and mindful that he is the driver of his own destiny.'
As Hudson prepares to step onto the court in the Pit, he plans to honor both his grandfather and Uncle Mel. 'Definitely before every game I'm going to pray for them... And definitely in my mind, I'll be thinking of them,' he said. The story of Hudson Mayes is a testament to the enduring power of family, legacy, and the game of basketball.
Originally reported by yahoo.