Xavier McDaniel (1981-85) Shocker Sports Hall of Famer

[WuShock Reaper]

Who should be on the Mount Rushmore of best basketball players from state of SC? - The State
BY AUGUSTA STONE
AUGUST 27, 2021 12:07 PM

https://www.thestate.com/sports/nba/article253531029.html

"Picture Mount Rushmore, with the heads of four influential United States presidents sculpted into South Dakota granite. Imagine if a similar sculpture existed for basketball players from South Carolina. Who would be carved into a Mount Rushmore of the all-time best basketball players with South Carolina roots? Does Gamecock great and recent Olympic gold medalist A’ja Wilson have a spot? How about eight-time NBA All Star and Basketball Hall of Famer Alex English? The State is getting into the “GOAT” debate, and we only have enough room for four on our Mount Rushmore of basketball players who were raised in South Carolina.

Xavier McDaniel (Columbia): Nicknamed “X-Man” and known for his shaved head and eyebrows, McDaniel attended Columbia’s A.C. Flora High School before making college hoops history at Wichita State University. McDaniel became the first NCAA player to lead the nation in scoring and rebounding during his senior year at Wichita State and was later selected fourth overall by the Seattle Supersonics in 1985. He made the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1986 and was named an NBA All-Star in 1988. McDaniel’s No. 34 jersey was retired by Wichita State, and he was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.

Other Nominees:
A’ja Wilson (Hopkins)
Alex English (Columbia)
Ja Morant (Dalzel)
Jermaine O’Neal (Columbia)
Khris Middleton (Charleston)
Larry Nance (Anderson)
PJ Dozier (Columbia)
Ray Allen (Dalzell)
Raymond Felton (Marion)
Stanley Roberts (Hopkins)
Zion Williamson (Spartanburg)
Kevin Garnett (Greenville)

[Onegreatracer]

As someone who wasn't lucky enough to be alive to watch the 80s era of Shocker basketball, I used to be a firm believer that Fred was the greatest Shocker to ever do it. But the more I read about X-Man, I'm not sure if we'll ever have a player of that caliber here again, let alone stay for 4 years in the current climate of college basketball.

[TheShocktocles]

The first time I saw X post up and take a midrange shot as a Freshman I knew he was going to be special.

[WuTheOne]

As someone who wasn't lucky enough to be alive to watch the 80s era of Shocker basketball, I used to be a firm believer that Fred was the greatest Shocker to ever do it. But the more I read about X-Man, I'm not sure if we'll ever have a player of that caliber here again, let alone stay for 4 years in the current climate of college basketball.

When he got on campus, he asked Antoine Carr and Cliff Levingston which one of them was going to take a seat on the bench. He had the chops to back up that swag. X was the first person to lead college basketball in both points per game and rebounds per game. It's been done once since then.

FVV's professional career indicates he was better than we thought when he was here - and we thought pretty highly of him. X's college game was off the charts compared to FVV's college game. X did things no one in the history of college basketball had done to that point in time.

[WuShock Reaper]

The X-Man Always Had to Prove How Hard He Was....Of Former NBA Enforcer Xavier McDaniel - The Shadow League
https://theshadowleague.com/the-x-ma...vier-mcdaniel/
By Rhett Butler
February 7, 2022

"Hard fouls were the norm, and brawls in the locker room or the hardwood were as expected as a hockey game skirmish. However, one player virtually defined the rock ‘em, sock ‘em style of the era, and that man was Xavier McDaniel.

Wichita State “X”
As he was known to Wichita State University Shocker fans, where he played college ball, X was the first player in NCAA history to lead the nation in scoring (27.2 points per game) and rebounding (14.8 rebounds per game) as a senior in 1985...."

McDaniel finished his career as the school’s all-time leading rebounder (1,359) and second in scoring (2,152). Playing for Wichita State from 1981-85, McDaniel was a first-team Associated Press and United States Basketball Writers Association All-American as a senior.

[Shock Top]

Boy, I wish I could have seen him play.

My favorite kind of player; Toughness + High Motor

[Topshock]

Boy, I wish I could have seen him play.

My favorite kind of player; Toughness + High Motor

The whole world was a little less "civilized " then. WuShock would put on his blind fold, get his blind man stick while the pep band played 3 blind mice after a bad call. I never did, but it wasn't uncommon for a few things to be tossed on the floor now and then. Instead of promotions, the pep band would play beat the hell out of you at just the right time to keep the crowd in a frenzy through the time out.

I guess it's better now, but I sure don't look forward to going to games as much now as I did then.

[WstateU]

Boy, I wish I could have seen him play.

My favorite kind of player; Toughness + High Motor

X was worth the price of admission. Still my all-time favorite Shocker… he was a once in two life times player. Several NBA YouTube videos on line; worth a look. He was an intimidating son of a gun.

[ShockingButTrue]

His reputation of brawling with teammates was established on 21st & Hillside.

But he messed up trying to get over on AC. Case closed.

[Atxshoxfan]

The whole world was a little less "civilized " then. WuShock would put on his blind fold, get his blind man stick while the pep band played 3 blind mice after a bad call. I never did, but it wasn't uncommon for a few things to be tossed on the floor now and then. Instead of promotions, the pep band would play beat the hell out of you at just the right time to keep the crowd in a frenzy through the time out.

I guess it's better now, but I sure don't look forward to going to games as much now as I did then.

Less civilized???
those songs played help create the great atmospheres and harmed nobody. I had forgot about Wu walking blindly while they played 3 blind mice. And it was always after bad calls. Great stuff. But in this now civilized world. I guess that may offend some blind person (if they could see it). And it would definitely hurt the referees feeling's. We can't have that, now can we?

[molly jabali]

A team with :
Antoine Carr
Clif Levingston
X
Aubrey Sherrod

Unreal

[shock]

A team with :
Antoine Carr
Clif Levingston
X
Aubrey Sherrod

Unreal

And that is why KU went whining to the BOR

[Atxshoxfan]

A team with :
Antoine Carr
Clif Levingston
X
Aubrey Sherrod

Unreal

Had cliff stuck around 1 more year you would have had that dream team + Greg Dreiling.
but I think the shocks were still on probation during AC's senior year.

[Ashockalypse]

X put a clinic on in Kemper Arena against Danny Manning but we narrowly lost but Larry Brown commented that X taught his team some lessons.

[jcdshocker]

Had cliff stuck around 1 more year you would have had that dream team + Greg Dreiling.
but I think the shocks were still on probation during AC's senior year.

Dreiling was part of this team. He came in as a freshman with X and Aubrey.