I was watching the Flordia-Auburn game tonight and they were talking about Jodie breaking Dan's scoring record. Tom Hammonds said he talked to Dan earlier today about the record, and asked him how many threes would he have made in the game he scored 53. Issel said he only made two shots outside the three point line.

Most people may not realize that Issel is 7th in career points in pro basketball history. He also averaged 34 points a game his senior season.

 

At the time of his retirement, only Jabbar, Chamberlain, and "Dr. J.", were the only major league professional basketball players to score more points than Issel did.

 

 

Pretty good company, I'd say!

At the time of his retirement, only Jabbar, Chamberlain, and "Dr. J.", were the only major league professional basketball players to score more points than Issel did.

 

 

Pretty good company, I'd say!

 

Only some guys named Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, and Moses Malone have passed him since.

Only some guys named Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, and Moses Malone have passed him since.

 

They were not considered to be very shabby players, were they????

 

Especially that Jordan guy.

Most people may not realize that Issel is 7th in career points in pro basketball history. He also averaged 34 points a game his senior season.

 

Most people probably don't realize that that was in 3 seasons as well.

I was 12 years old in the 69'-70' season and I remember the Issell/Pratt years. I don't remember those exact games, point totals or anything but I do remember watching them play.

As for how good Issel was I just refer to what the legendary Adolph Rupp said one time when ask who was the best player to ever play for him. Rupp replied (and it may not be the exact wording)....."[it would be hard to single out just one but Dan Issell was awfully good" .

So, with that bit of recomendation I say that Dan Issel was the best to ever play at U.K..

Also, one has to remember that Issel's numbers were in three years. Freshmen did not play during that time. Had they been allowed to play as freshmen it is hard to tell what the numbers/records would be for Issel and LSU's Pete Maravich.:eek:

 

 

Some of Issel's stats and the following link......................

 

Season Notes:

1967-68: All- NCAA Regional Team; All-SEC [First Team (Coaches)Second Team (AP & UPI)]

1968-69: All-American [Consensus (2nd), AP (2nd), UPI (3rd), NABC (2nd), USBW (1st), Converse (1st), Sporting News (2nd), Helms]; All- NCAA Regional Team; All-SEC [First Team (AP, UPI & Coaches)]

1969-70: All-American [Consensus (1st), AP (1st), UPI (1st), NABC (1st), USBW (1st), Converse (1st), Sporting News (1st), Helms]; All- NCAA Regional Team; All-SEC [First Team (AP, UPI & Coaches)]; Academic All-American; Academic All-SEC

Post-UK Career Notes:

Basketball Hall of Fame

Drafted #122 Overall in the 8th Round of the 1970 NBA Draft by Detroit

Professional Basketball Statistics [External Link]

 

Season Games

Played Minutes FG FGA % FT FTA % Total

Rebs Asst. F Total

Points

1967-68 27 836 171 390 43.8 102 154 66.2 328 10 59 444

1968-69 28 1063 285 534 53.4 176 232 75.9 381 49 90 746

1969-70 28 1044 369 667 55.3 210 275 76.4 369 39 81 948

Total 83 2943 825 1591 51.9 488 661 73.8 1078 98 230 2138

 

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Players/Issel_Dan.html

Edited January 15, 200917 yr by oldrambler

The 1st thing my Dad said was how good Dan Issel was and that he did it without a 3 point line.

 

Issel was a post player, though. Obviously a 3 point line wouldn't have hurt his stats, but I can't imagine that he'd take (and hit) many 3's.

 

I get so sick of hearing that argument from the old-timers. It's the 1st thing they say.

I remember watching Issel play and the thing that I remember most about him was his rebounding.There was nothing flashy about the way he scored.If you backed off him he could make the jump shot,if you closed in he went around you for a layup.But it was almost like he knew where every rebound was going to come off the board and he was great at blocking out the opposition. He got a lot of his points on offensive put backs. He was fun to watch.

Only some guys named Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, and Moses Malone have passed him since.

And just to clarify for everyone, this includes Issel's time in the ABA as well as his stint in the NBA.

 

I saw Issel on ESPN classic last year when they replayed the highest scoring game in NBA history.

The 1st thing my Dad said was how good Dan Issel was and that he did it without a 3 point line.

 

Issel was a post player, though. Obviously a 3 point line wouldn't have hurt his stats, but I can't imagine that he'd take (and hit) many 3's.

 

I get so sick of hearing that argument from the old-timers. It's the 1st thing they say.

 

Issel had a very nice outside shot and could hit the threes (as he did in the ABA), but it wasn't the crux of his game.

 

Heard him on the radio today talking about Meeks and his comments were along the lines of 'To score 54 points on 22 shots is remarkable and to do it in the flow of the game. Only about 2 of my shots in the Mississippi game would have possibly been 3s. I have held on to the record for 39 years and I am okay with hit being broken by such a deserving young man.' Issel is a very classy guy.

I missed it by about a month. I wasn't born until St. Patrick's Day of 1970.

 

1970? I thought you were born in 1950? :jump:

The 1st thing my Dad said was how good Dan Issel was and that he did it without a 3 point line.

 

Issel was a post player, though. Obviously a 3 point line wouldn't have hurt his stats, but I can't imagine that he'd take (and hit) many 3's.

 

I get so sick of hearing that argument from the old-timers. It's the 1st thing they say.

 

I have used that before but not so much with Issel, he could shoot it from out there but as others have said he was a post player. Beside that, Adolph Rupp would have probably beat and benched him for going outside :eek:.

 

My main point with Issel when someone goes to comparing is that his numbers were in three seasons, freshmen didn't play during that time.

Is Issel in the pro Hall of Fame?

Pistol Petes numbers would've been even more unbelievable with the 3 point line. He would pull up from anywhere, and most of the time it was nets. Rupps phylosphy was guard him, but shut down the rest of the team. That's why he always outscored Issell, but UK won the games.

Is Issel in the pro Hall of Fame?

 

Yes. Inducted in '93.

 

http://www.nba.com/history/players/issel_bio.html