Dan ISSEL…just how good was he?

[Sawnee Cat]

For those that were around, genuinely curious...why was Issel drafted so low in draft? 122nd overall.

Issel went to the old ABA Kentucky Colonels and everyone pretty much knew he was going there before he signed. The NBA did not want to waste a draft pick. That is how I saw it.

A lot of future Hall of Famers by passed the NBA back then. Julius Erving for one. When the leagues merged they became the NBA.

IMO One of the worst decisions made by Louisville (Colonels) was not going to the NBA when they had the chance. Indianapolis (Pacers) did and look how the city benefited. A major league team may have helped Louisville in the same manner. Of course we will never know.

 

[Kycatspaws]

 

[ncaaky]

pretty much unstoppable his senior year
had a great fadeaway jump shot and used the back board on a lot of his shots
not a great athlete, but a great basketball player
He was the all time leading scorer in UK history, not sure if he still is

All time leading scorer 2138 points in only EIGHTY THREE games. 26 points 13 rebounds a game. He lead UK to the #1 ranking his senior year even after the second best player and All America was out after a summer car crash.

Fouled out with 11 minutes to go in 6 point loss in Elite Eight. The best there ever was career wise at UK.

 

[blue cincy]

All I can say is some of the best NBA of all time could not guard Big Dan. At UK he was awesome. ABA/NBA he was just as good. He was not afraid to mix it up either.

 

[crestcat]

Issel was the most dominant player I can remember at UK. The late Mike Pratt had an uncanny ability to get Dan the ball, great tandem

 

[crawfords corner]

Issel went to the old ABA Kentucky Colonels and everyone pretty much knew he was going there before he signed. The NBA did not want to waste a draft pick. That is how I saw it.

A lot of future Hall of Famers by passed the NBA back then. Julius Erving for one. When the leagues merged they became the NBA.

IMO One of the worst decisions made by Louisville (Colonels) was not going to the NBA when they had the chance. Indianapolis (Pacers) did and look how the city benefited. A major league team may have helped Louisville in the same manner. Of course we will never know.

From what I was able to glean that is why he was drafted low

Remember the ABA: Dan Issel Interview (conducted by Brett Ballantini)

 

[crawfords corner]

Legends profile: Dan Issel | NBA.com

Dan Issel dominated in the ABA before doing likewise with the Denver Nuggets in the NBA.

www.nba.com

 

[crawfords corner]

https://aminoapps.com/c/nba/page/blog/the-underrated-phenom-dan-issel/Yj4K_N00cbu1mx4N2r8kbVDMEeXPmN8JGWY

 

[Catman100]

He still is.

Wonder how people think he would stack up today.

And didn't have a 3 point line either.

 

[Bill - Shy Cat]

I saw Issel play in Memorial He was very skilled at using the glass on ten foot jumpers.

 

[bnewt]

Issel was the most dominant player I can remember at UK. The late Mike Pratt had an uncanny ability to get Dan the ball, great tandem

Yes they were and coach Rupp knew how to use them

 

[bnewt]

Would love to have him as athletic director
He understands what UK stands for

 

[Kycatspaws]

 

[Big10Cat]

I can remember when the Kentucky Wildcats played the Jacksonville University Dolphins in 19 70.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 14 (AP)—Jacksonville continued its climb in major college basket ball today, upsetting Kentucky, 106‐100, in the National Colle giate Mideast regional final.

Rex Morgan scored 28 points and 7‐foot‐2‐inch Artis Gilmore made 24 points and seized 20 rebounds to spark the Dolphins into the N.C.A.A. semifinals next week against St. Bonaven ture at College Park, Md.

Top‐ranked Kentucky, suffer ing only its second loss against 26 triumphs, played the last 10 minutes without its all‐Ameri can, Dan Issel. The 6–8 Wild cat star fouled out after he had 28 points and 10 rebounds.

Heartbreaking game. Issel was running up floor with his head down and Jacksonville’s point guard, Vaughn Wedeking, slid in front of Dan and drew a charge - Issel’s 5th. Sneaky move.

 

[Kycatspaws]

 

[Smashcat]

Issel would thrive in today’s game. He was a stretch 4 before anyone knew what a stretch 4 was.

I agree!

 

[JC CATS]

Gonna try and start a thing. Rex was first, let’s look at Big Dan. For those that saw it live, just how good was he? I remember him from childhood vaguely with the nuggets. Of course, wasn’t close to seeing him at UK. We hear a lot about those guys not being able to keep up today, so for those that saw it in real time, just how dominant was he?

He was very good. He got minutes in blowouts, Rupp told him if he would start running program at UK he would give him minutes. He made a living scoring on 8th grade head fakes

 

[Rockford]

All of the above.

I went to the Rupp Issel Pratt Basketball Camp.

He was one of the good guys.

 

[EKCAT4YRS]

Heartbreaking game. Issel was running up floor with his head down and Jacksonville’s point guard, Vaughn Wedeking, slid in front of Dan and drew a charge - Issel’s 5th. Sneaky move.

I think one of Dan's fouls, he blocked Gilmore's shot cleanly from behind! A long while ago but I am thinking that's right! And with everything in me I believe the Issel of 1970 would still be a star in todays game!

 

[sundiver2k]

They didn't call him "The Horse" for nothing. A better Oscar than Oscar. Like others have said, he would be the first pick of my all Kentucky team.

 

[Kycatspaws]

 

[kennyskywalker34]

I only remember Dan as a Denver Nugget. Back when the NBA was watchable. Issel, Vandeweigh and English was a scoring machine of a front line.

 

[Big Foot 275]

Big Dan is the all time leading scorer and rebounder at UK. What else needs to be said about how good he was. One of the most unstoppable players I've ever seen in college and he pretty much did the same thing in the pros. Kareem said Big Dan was one of the most difficult guys to guard he ever played against. That should tell you something.

 

[Aike]

I can remember when the Kentucky Wildcats played the Jacksonville University Dolphins in 19 70.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 14 (AP)—Jacksonville continued its climb in major college basket ball today, upsetting Kentucky, 106‐100, in the National Colle giate Mideast regional final.

Rex Morgan scored 28 points and 7‐foot‐2‐inch Artis Gilmore made 24 points and seized 20 rebounds to spark the Dolphins into the N.C.A.A. semifinals next week against St. Bonaven ture at College Park, Md.

Top‐ranked Kentucky, suffer ing only its second loss against 26 triumphs, played the last 10 minutes without its all‐Ameri can, Dan Issel. The 6–8 Wild cat star fouled out after he had 28 points and 10 rebounds.

Chatted with an NBA center who told me Artis Gilmore was one of the 2 strongest players he ever played against.

 

[Kyhoward]

#1 All time UK scoring leader in 3 years!

Was great during his collegiate career and would be great in todays game.
There were better athletes but Dan was a basketball player.

He was not real quick but could get to the basket, was not a great jumper but a great rebounder, beautiful shot that he could get off against any defender. The 3 point line would not have helped him much, but he was deadeye at 15’ or so.

The Jacksonville loss was so tough to accept as Dan was called for a charge against Vaughn Wedeking at mid-court in his last game at UK! Remember that name and the game like it happened yesterday but I can’t remember where I put my keys!

 

[Johnfarrel]

Really wondering from some young timers that say him live in college how he would atack
Up against, say, a guy like Cousins, or Towns etc. players today.

He could play with these guys and guys from any era.

 

[yabbadabbadoo]

As bnewt said above, Big Dan had an incredible jump shot. Straight up, fade away, whatever. He deadly up to about 20-feet out. Don’t remember him taking very many 3-pointers as a pro.

He also had what he called “an 8th grade head fake”.
And it worked.

As a kid growing up in Louisville, a highlight was Kentucky Colonels games on a Friday or Saturday night!!

Just how good was Big Dan?
He’s STILL 12th on the all-time scoring list (ABA points INCLUDED)
The 11 men in front of him?
1 LaBron
2 Jabbar
3 Karl Malone
4 Kobe
5 Michael
6 Nowitzki
7 Wilt
8 Dr J (his ABA points incl)
9 Moses Malone
10 Shaq
11 Carmelo
12 Big Dan

Not bad company.

Where’s Daniel Orton

 

[CondorCat]

Big Dan is the all time leading scorer and rebounder at UK. What else needs to be said about how good he was. One of the most unstoppable players I've ever seen in college and he pretty much did the same thing in the pros.

Agreed. And he set the UK career scoring and rebounding records in 3 years. The next four players on the UK career scoring list all played 4 years (Walker, Givens, Bogans, Delk).

 

[Elliott Tim]

I know but just how good.

Good enough to be all american and probably Rupp's last great player.
He was tough as nails and looked more like a hockey player because of his partial.
Must have lost a tooth or two.
I would call him Mr. True Grit.

 

[MychalG]

I remember his head fake inside the paint. The defender knew it was coming but took the bait more times than not. He was also lethal from 15-18 feet. Like one poster said, he was not afraid to mix it up inside. I started following the Cats in the '66-'67 season with Riley and Dampier..then came Issel, Casey and Pratt and Larry Steele draining jumpers from the corner. Then in '70 they added the sweet left handed jumper of Tom Parker...damn those were the days..

 

[Kampus Korner]

I saw Dan play every game. I was a student at UK during the same time he played for UK. He was an awesome outside shot particularly from the corner. If the three point shot had been in effect when he played he would have put the scoring record beyond reach. He and Pistol Pete had some amazing high scoring games against one another even though they played different positions. Dan was a fierce rebounder.

 

[Soupbean]

Gonna try and start a thing. Rex was first, let’s look at Big Dan. For those that saw it live, just how good was he? I remember him from childhood vaguely with the nuggets. Of course, wasn’t close to seeing him at UK. We hear a lot about those guys not being able to keep up today, so for those that saw it in real time, just how dominant was he?

Really good. Had skills that could have have played in todays game. Wasnt super athletic but strong, instinctive and quick reaction and moves like Bird. Watch some tapes of him playing against some of the great athletes in the 70s and 80 including Jabbar, Malone, Dawkins etc. Played center at 6-9 against those bigger guys and be became one of the leading s peers of all time. Unstoppable head fake and mid range jumper.

For those who didn’t see him play, think of a better, tougher Drew Timme

 

[billoliver40]

I know but just how good.

All time leading scorer when frosh weren't eligible. No three point shot.

Mighty good.

 

[dbem1]

I still remember the NCAA game against Jacksonville when was called for a bogus charge, for his 5th foul, just running down the court after a basket. Did not even have the ball. After he fouled out, we were done. Lost 106 to 100.

 

[docholiday51]

In one game early in Issel’s career, his teammates were neglecting to give him the ball, so Rupp called a timeout. According to Sports Illustrated, the coach bellowed, “This guy is going to be Kentucky’s all-time leading scorer by the time he’s through here. I thought you might like to meet him.”

Hey Cow, that's player evaluation skills for ya (not that you would know anything about that). Maybe educate some of your ignorant players about this man instead of them trying to get his name removed from his arena and also about UK legends such as Dan Issel.

I think the story was at halftime Rupp had Issel stand up and told the rest of the team "I want you to meet Dan Issel, he is an all American, he averages 26 points a game. For those of you who don't know he is on our team. Now get him the GD ball"

 

[yes_takeaside]

Issel was terrific. Who was ever better at UK?

In those days very few college players made the pros as there were not very many teams compared to today. The ABA gave more opportunity. Dan succeeded there and later the NBA. Great, great player.

 

[Birdie King]

Heartbreaking game. Issel was running up floor with his head down and Jacksonville’s point guard, Vaughn Wedeking, slid in front of Dan and drew a charge - Issel’s 5th. Sneaky move.

I was there at Ohio State. Tom Parker took over the scoring load and they fouled him out too !

 

[Blueworld_3.0]

I know UK doesn't retire numbers but IMHO they should retire #44. His record will never be broken as no one good enough to break it will stay around that long. The greatest player ever at UK. We should do him the honor of retiring his number...while he is still here to enjoy it.

On a side not, Issel was done very wrong by the Nuggets when he was forced to resign. Complete garbage and total cuck move by Denver's management. Early NBA wokeness.

 

[VaxxedObamaCat]

Funny you bring this up. I picked up his book at a used bookstore recently and I'm enjoying it.

 

[Cawood86]

So good that he only played 3 years. Hasn’t played at UK since 1970 and is still the all leading scorer in UK history. There was no 3 point shot or shot clock.