Photo - WKU Athletics
He was on the biggest, literally and figuratively to have spent time on “The Hill.” According to an announcement Wednesday evening from the Western Kentucky Athletic Department, WKU Hilltopper basketball legend Jim McDaniels, passed away Wednesday evening in Bowling Green, at the age of 69. McDaniels, a 7-foot center from Scottsville, finished his WKU career with 2,238 points, which ties for the all-time program record.
McDaniels also ranks first in WKU history in career field goals (935), career scoring average (27.6 points per game) and double-doubles (74), second in rebounding average (13.1 per game) and field goals attempted (1,763), fourth in total rebounds (1,118) and ninth in made free throws (368).
McDaniels was one of just two WKU All-Americans who were honored as such in each year of their Hilltopper careers. The big man is the only person in WKU Hilltopper Basketball history to be named a first-team All-American by three or more organizations in the same season when six picked him after the 1971 season. And, he is one of just three former Toppers honored as NCAA “consensus” All-Americans. He and Clem Haskins (1967) were first-team consensus picks and Tom Marshall (1954) was a second-team consensus selection. McDaniels was also named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year in 1969-70 and 1970-71 and was an All-OVC selection in each of his three varsity seasons.
The Hilltoppers went a combined 62-19 during McDaniels’ time with the program under head coach John Oldham, advancing to the NCAA Tournament in each of his last two years, including a run to a third-place finish in the Final Four in 1971. He is one of eight former WKU players to have their jersey retired and hung in the rafters at E.A. Diddle Arena.
McDaniels was a charter member of the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame. And, he is a member of the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame, the Dawahares/KHSAA Hall of Fame and the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame.
(Courtesy WKU Athletics)
