Xavier McDaniel
Encyclopedia
Xavier Maurice McDaniel (born June 4, 1963, in Columbia, South Carolina
), nicknamed the X-Man, is a retired American National Basketball Association
(NBA) player who, at 6 ft 7 in, played both small forward
and power forward
, and former head coach of the Riders Slamball
team.
, McDaniel was the first person to lead the nation in both rebounding and scoring in the same season. In college, McDaniel began to shave both his head and his eyebrows to look more intimidating. He continued this all throughout his pro career.
For his first two seasons at Wichita State
, the Shockers were on NCAA probation. He was a teammate his freshman year of future NBA players Antoine Carr
and Cliff Levingston
. When Levingston left for the NBA, McDaniel became a starter and averaged 18.8 points and 14.4 rebounds as power forward opposite Carr. The following season, Carr left, and McDaniel raised his scoring average to 20.6 points per game and was the Missouri Valley Conference
MVP. He then led the nation in scoring (27.4) and rebounding (15.0) his senior season becoming the first player to do so.
in the 1st round (4th overall) of the 1985 NBA Draft
and became an instant starter. He averaged 17.1 points per game and finished second in the NBA Rookie of the Year balloting to Patrick Ewing
.
His second season, he was one of a trio of 20 ppg scorers with the SuperSonics along with Dale Ellis
and Tom Chambers. The SuperSonics made it all the way to the Western Conference finals that season. He averaged over 20 points per game for the next three seasons as a Sonic, including the 1988-89 season when he was used primarily as a bench player.
McDaniel was traded fifteen games into the 1990-91 season to the Phoenix Suns
for Eddie Johnson and two draft picks. While the trade reunited him with teammate Tom Chambers, it didn't produce the results the Suns were looking for. At seasons' end, he was dealt to the New York Knicks
, where he was a perfect fit in Coach Pat Riley
's physical style. He gained some notoriety for playing the Chicago Bulls
' Scottie Pippen
tough in a grueling seven-game playoff series that the Bulls won on their way to their second NBA title.
McDaniel finished out his career with the Boston Celtics
and New Jersey Nets
before retiring after the 1997-98 season.
In 1995, McDaniel moved to Europe
to play for Iraklis BC and he was Greek cup
finalist in March 1996.
debut in 1992 when he made a brief cameo in the film Singles. In that movie, McDaniel appears in a fantasy sequence when Steve Dunne (Campbell Scott
) begins thinking about the basketball pro while having sex. McDaniel comically tells him at the end of a locker room interview, "Steve, don't cum yet." A year later McDaniel was featured on the TV sitcom
Married... with Children
in the Season 8 episode "A Tisket, a Tasket, Can Peg Make a Basket?" McDaniel played an NBA All-Star
in that episode who roughs up lead character Al Bundy
after his wife pesters the All-Star during a basketball match.
After retiring McDaniel appeared on Spike TV's televised slamball
games where he coached the Riders squad in 2003. Afterwards he made a few appearances on the reality TV
game show
Pros vs. Joes in 2006. Xavier McDaniel played on the Orange "All-Star" Team with fellow NBA star Clyde Drexler
on an episode of Pros vs Joes, who coincidentally also appeared with McDaniel on the same Married... with Children episode 13 years earlier.
McDaniel who lives in South Carolina was a guest on the "Two Live Stews" radio program where he discussed his life since retirement.
McDaniel also appeared on the MTV 2 game show "Pros vs Joes", airing in 2011. Two joes beat the "X-Man" in a basketball competition.
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
), nicknamed the X-Man, is a retired American National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) player who, at 6 ft 7 in, played both small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
and power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
, and former head coach of the Riders Slamball
Slamball
Slamball is a form of basketball played with 4 trampolines in front of each net. It is played "full contact" and has boards around the court....
team.
College
While at Wichita StateWichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
, McDaniel was the first person to lead the nation in both rebounding and scoring in the same season. In college, McDaniel began to shave both his head and his eyebrows to look more intimidating. He continued this all throughout his pro career.
For his first two seasons at Wichita State
Wichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
, the Shockers were on NCAA probation. He was a teammate his freshman year of future NBA players Antoine Carr
Antoine Carr
Antoine Labotte Carr is a retired American basketball player. A 16-year NBA journeyman, he was known for the goggles he wore onto the court.-Early life:Antoine Carr was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
and Cliff Levingston
Cliff Levingston
Clifford Eugene Levingston is a retired American basketball player in the NBA. Levingston starred at Wichita State University before being drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 1982...
. When Levingston left for the NBA, McDaniel became a starter and averaged 18.8 points and 14.4 rebounds as power forward opposite Carr. The following season, Carr left, and McDaniel raised his scoring average to 20.6 points per game and was the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
MVP. He then led the nation in scoring (27.4) and rebounding (15.0) his senior season becoming the first player to do so.
NBA
McDaniel was selected by the Seattle SuperSonicsSeattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
in the 1st round (4th overall) of the 1985 NBA Draft
1985 NBA Draft
The 1985 NBA Draft took place on June 18, 1985. It was also the first NBA Draft of the "Lottery" era. A total of 162 players were selected over 7 rounds by the league's 23 teams. The New York Knicks were awarded the first overall pick, by winning the first-ever NBA Draft Lottery, which was held...
and became an instant starter. He averaged 17.1 points per game and finished second in the NBA Rookie of the Year balloting to Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle...
.
His second season, he was one of a trio of 20 ppg scorers with the SuperSonics along with Dale Ellis
Dale Ellis
Dale Ellis is a retired American professional basketball player, who played in the National Basketball Association....
and Tom Chambers. The SuperSonics made it all the way to the Western Conference finals that season. He averaged over 20 points per game for the next three seasons as a Sonic, including the 1988-89 season when he was used primarily as a bench player.
McDaniel was traded fifteen games into the 1990-91 season to the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
for Eddie Johnson and two draft picks. While the trade reunited him with teammate Tom Chambers, it didn't produce the results the Suns were looking for. At seasons' end, he was dealt to the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, where he was a perfect fit in Coach Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
's physical style. He gained some notoriety for playing the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
' Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen
Scottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
tough in a grueling seven-game playoff series that the Bulls won on their way to their second NBA title.
McDaniel finished out his career with the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
and New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
before retiring after the 1997-98 season.
In 1995, McDaniel moved to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to play for Iraklis BC and he was Greek cup
Greek basketball Cup
The Greek Basketball Cup or Hellenic Basketball Cup is an annual pro basketball national cup competition. It is organized by the Hellenic Basketball Federation .-History and format:...
finalist in March 1996.
Coaching career
| Team | |Regular Season | Total | 6 | 4 | .600 | - | 2 | 0 | 1 Championship |
|---|
Television and movie appearances
Xavier McDaniel made his motion pictureFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
debut in 1992 when he made a brief cameo in the film Singles. In that movie, McDaniel appears in a fantasy sequence when Steve Dunne (Campbell Scott
Campbell Scott
Campbell Scott is an American actor, director, producer, and voice artist.-Life and career:Scott was born in New York City, the son of George C. Scott, an actor, director, and producer, and Colleen Dewhurst, a Canadian-born actress. He graduated from Lawrence University in 1983. His brother is...
) begins thinking about the basketball pro while having sex. McDaniel comically tells him at the end of a locker room interview, "Steve, don't cum yet." A year later McDaniel was featured on the TV sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
Married... with Children
Married... with Children
Married... with Children is an American surrealistic sitcom that aired for 11 seasons that featured a dysfunctional family living in Chicago, Illinois. The show, notable for being the first prime time television series to air on Fox, ran from April 5, 1987, to June 9, 1997. The series was created...
in the Season 8 episode "A Tisket, a Tasket, Can Peg Make a Basket?" McDaniel played an NBA All-Star
NBA All-Star Weekend
The National Basketball Association holds an All-Star Weekend every February, the festival has a variety of basketball-related events, exhibitions, and performances culminating in the NBA All-Star Game held on Sunday night.-The All-Star Game:...
in that episode who roughs up lead character Al Bundy
Al Bundy
Al Bundy is a fictional character from the U.S. television series Married... with Children. He was played by Ed O'Neill.-Character history:...
after his wife pesters the All-Star during a basketball match.
After retiring McDaniel appeared on Spike TV's televised slamball
Slamball
Slamball is a form of basketball played with 4 trampolines in front of each net. It is played "full contact" and has boards around the court....
games where he coached the Riders squad in 2003. Afterwards he made a few appearances on the reality TV
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
Pros vs. Joes in 2006. Xavier McDaniel played on the Orange "All-Star" Team with fellow NBA star Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler
Clyde Austin "Clyde The Glide" Drexler is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard and small forward. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA named him one of basketball's fifty greatest players as of 1996. Drexler won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and...
on an episode of Pros vs Joes, who coincidentally also appeared with McDaniel on the same Married... with Children episode 13 years earlier.
McDaniel who lives in South Carolina was a guest on the "Two Live Stews" radio program where he discussed his life since retirement.
McDaniel also appeared on the MTV 2 game show "Pros vs Joes", airing in 2011. Two joes beat the "X-Man" in a basketball competition.
Personal
His daughter Xylina, was one of 36 girls that were invited in June 2010 to participate in the United States Under 17 basketball team trials.See also
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season rebounding leaders
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds
External links
- NBA.com Historical Player Info
- NBA statistics @ basketball-reference.com
- Sonics Q&A: Xavier McDaniel, by Kevin Pelton, SUPERSONICS.COM | August 17, 2006
- Xavier McDaniel - No One Played Harder @ NBA.com
- IMDB entry for McDaniel
- Xavier McDaniel Biography
- basketpedya.com