Leonard suffered the heart attack Sunday night following the Pacers victory in New York. Leonard had two stents inserted and will return to Indianapolis later, the Pacers said today.

“Hopefully things are going well for him after having those two stents. My thoughts and prayers go out to he and the family,” said Billy Keller, who played for Leonard when the Pacers won ABA titles.

“Obviously, I’m concerned, more concerned because this is the second episode he’s had with his heart.”

Leonard, 78, won 529 games and three ABA titles in 12 years as the Pacers coach.
He has been a player, coach or broadcaster in pro basketball for 55 years.

Famous for his “Boom Baby” call following a Pacers 3-pointer, Leonard is one of only five individuals with a banner hanging in his honor at Conseco Fieldhouse.

“I’m like everyone else — Slick is a pretty special guy and was a special coach,” said Keller, a shooting coach with the Pacers. “We had a lot of success. I guess we’re all getting of the age where things like things can happen, so you kind of all pull together.”

A Terre Haute, Ind., native Leonard was a two-time All-American at Indiana University and was captain of the Hoosiers’ 1953 NCAA title team.

He has been inducted into the Indiana University Sports Hall of Fame and the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

After college he played seven seasons in the NBA with the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers.