K.J.'s Legacy
Three years ago I had a conversation with Clemson basketball coach
Brad Brownell
Brad Brownell
Head Coach
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about his program and his vision. Brownell said something that day that turned out to be pretty amazing. It was the fall of 2011 and Sammy Watkins was in the middle of an incredible freshman season. Watkins was the talk of college football. You couldn't turn on ESPN without hearing about Watkins on College Football Live or Gameday. Watkins was the hottest young name in the sport.
Brownell told me, "We need a Sammy Watkins in Clemson basketball. We need to sign a dynamic athlete that is much better than anyone expected."
What Brownell didn't know was that he already had his "Basketball Sammy."
When Clemson signed
K.J. McDaniels
K.J. McDaniels
Jr. Forward
#32 6-6, 200
Birmingham, AL
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out of Birmingham, A.L. it was without much fanfare. The Tigers didn't have to beat the major powers in college basketball for his signature. Three years later McDaniels has announced that he is leaving school early and is expected to be a first round pick in this year's NBA draft.
How did an unheralded prospect develop into one of the most exciting players in college basketball? I credit his hard work and Brownell's excellent staff.
He worked extremely hard and showed steady progress in his three years. His outside shooting and free throw shooting were perhaps his biggest gains. He still has work to do with ball handling being the biggest issue but I think the NBA will get a guy willing to do what it takes to stay in the league.
Brownell and his staff also deserve credit. Time and time again we have seen his staff develop players to levels that many thought were unreachable. I would make the claim that player development is perhaps his staff's biggest strength.
Clemson football has been able to capitalize on superstars like C.J. Spiller and Watkins. They have been able to sell the successes of Spiller and Watkins to potential prospects.
Now Brownell is going to take that campaign to the recruiting trails for Clemson basketball. The staff will try to sell wing players on their development. Coaches can tell them they can become the next guy that is always on the SportsCenter Top 10 segments a couple of times a week. Clemson basketball can brand itself as an exciting brand where high flying athletes can make a name for themselves.
A couple of years ago some criticized Brownell by saying his defensive style of basketball is not exciting. Other teams pressed for 94 feet and ran at every opportunity. Poor attendance was blamed on the "boring" style. Winning and McDaniels changed that. How many times did McDaniels come from the backside to swat a ball into the front row of fans? How many high-flying alley-oops did he crash down on opponents? How many thunderous put-back slams did we see over the past three years?
McDaniels changed Clemson basketball. Hopefully he changed it for the long term and we can look back on his legacy as one of the most important in Clemson basketball history.
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Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:
If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer list will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.
If you would like to add someone to the list please email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com
*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list.
Those who need our prayers include: Finn Brookover, Jo Ann Bachman, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got Igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard, Gillespie and his family, Jim S., Daniel Rosborough, the Huffman family, Nancy Winkler, John Reeve, Vinnie Brock, Kaitlyn L., Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs, Perrin Seigler, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, the Nicolopulos family, "the Jacksonville, FL guys," Kim Sims, the Coyle family, Ryleigh Tedder, Steve Lee, Kelly Trakas, Jimmy Moore, the Thomas V. family, Emary Claire Young, Kitty Bowers, Julie Locke, the Scheider family, Lauren Kittles' family, Frank Gentry, Joyce Bussey, Stacey McKeown, Dale Childs, Larry Lentz, Jr., Carl Sharperson, Scott Hannon, William Perry, Tyler Swaney, Lillian, Mark Feit, David Frame, Chad Berry, the family of Matthew M. Watson, the Dowis family, Alan Putnam, the Olivers, Lee Tate, Ronnie Abrams, Eddie Greene, the Jackson family, Bill Vader, Jim Taylor, Tina DeWitt, Rock Horne, Christopher Tuten, Bobby Wayne Thomas, Emma and Danielle Carothers, Robert Ditty, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Smith, Dot Cartee, Ayden Mills, Millie Heatley, Lynn Martin and family, Michael Pinson, Jake David family, Angie Crowley, Ira, Mike Tolson, Poly Wells, Dr. Muriel Bishop, Jack Cunningham, Emily Jefford Meister, Zachary Stoller, Aaron Clackum, Pat James, Cortney Moore, William Moore, Angelia and Savannah Anderson, William Ross, Meredith Legg, Scott Johns, Frank Carroll, Brandon Thompson, Alvin Sammons, Georgine McAlhaney, Glen Davis, Mike Price, Clay Childers, Aaron Knight, Danielle Johnston and family, Nicholas Abrams, Lana Kuykendall, Gary, Gary G., William Huggins, Jim Bennett, Chantz Fowler, Ethel McElveen, Michele Gurganus, William Gentry, Lewis Usher and Tanya Sanders, Shon Cooper, Nick Collins, Amanda Peake, Danny Hammond, Chip Turner, Nick Collins, Allen Steen, the Sturkey family, the Lance family, Nick Chrisley's family, Allison Williams, Lt. Kyle Walker, Summer and Joel Johnson, Nicole O'Donnell, James O. Johnson, Joy Pruett and family, Bill Schmidt, Jack Bailey, Gardner Family, Charles Turner, Kathy Bartholomew, Ray Sanders, David and Robin Blocker, J.R. Ray, Kenneth Kowe, Lauren Sielicki, Doug Bailey and family, Jenna Phipps, Mark Lawrence, Harlan Sullins, Peter Laboy, Kat and Carlisle Jones, Elizabeth Galloway and family, Anita McDonald, Willard Harryman, Liz Surratt, Molly Senn, Jackie Shearer, Richard Sellers, Tim Drisdelle, Edward Easterling, Dawson Bourne, Susan and Mike Brown, Julie Goodman Marshall, Willard and Dorothy Harryman, Justin Jernigan, Jack Cunningham, Mia Daughtery, Tee Senn, Jim Lanier, Bob Garrett, Skylar, Joseph Thomas, Mrs. Nelis, Jeanne Thompson, Sean Rowell, George Parker, Levon Kirkland and family, Catherine Sewell, Randy Davenport, Patrick Destefano, David Vaughn, Keith Dalton, B.T., Bill Hilbig, Rita Elrod Hammond and family, Jim McKeller, and our great country and the men and women in uniform that protect and serve it every day, plus their families.
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