Abernethy attended St. Joseph's High School in his hometown of South Bend, Indiana.

[1] Abernethy led his team to 22 wins and a victory in the South Bend sectional championship.

[1] Abernethy joined the Hoosiers in 1972 and saw limited playing time during his first three seasons due to being on a stacked team.

The following month, Golden State Warriors signed Abernethy from the Braves (now the San Diego Clippers) in return for another second round pick.

[3] Abernethy created the Indiana Basketball Academy in 1995 which provides skills training for young players.

His youngest son, Todd, played for the Ole Miss Rebels and serves as an assistant coach for the Florida Atlantic Owls.