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Lloyd Daniels

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For the X-Factor contestant, see Lloyd Daniels (singer).

Lloyd Daniels
Personal information
Born (1967-09-04) September 4, 1967 (age 57)
Brooklyn, New York
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High schoolAndrew Jackson
(Queens, New York)
CollegeMt. SAC (1986–1987)
NBA draft1988: undrafted
Playing career1987–2006
PositionShooting guard
Number24, 44, 25
Career history
1987–1988Topeka Sizzlers
1988Waitemata Dolphins
1989–1990Quad City Thunder
1990–1991Miami Tropics
1991–1992Greensboro City Gaters
1991–1992Long Island Surf
1992–1994San Antonio Spurs
1994Philadelphia 76ers
1995Limoges CSP
1995Los Angeles Lakers
1995Fort Wayne Fury
1995–1996Scavolini Pesaro
1996Sacramento Kings
1996–1997New Jersey Nets
1997Fort Wayne Fury
1997–1999Polluelos de Aibonito
1999Toronto Raptors
1998Galatasaray S.K.
1998Idaho Stampede
1998–1999AEK B.C.
1999Sioux Falls Skyforce
1999–2000Baltimore BayRunners
2000Trenton Shooting Stars
2000–2001Long Island Surf
2001Tampa Bay ThunderDawgs
2001Panteras de Miranda
2001–2002Scafati Basket
2002Shanghai Sharks
2002Panteras de Miranda
2002–2003Ovarense Basquetebol
2005–2006Strong Island Sound
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference

Lloyd "Swee' Pea" Daniels (born September 4, 1967) is a former professional American basketball player who played for five seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Early life

The 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) shooting guard was one of the most sought-after recruits in the nation during the 1986–87 recruiting cycle. At the time, he was considered the most talented player from New York City since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and also compared to Connie Hawkins.[1][2] According to authors John Valenti and Ron Naclerio, Daniels, nicknamed "Sweet Pea," was reputed to combine the passing ability of Magic Johnson with the shooting ability of Larry Bird.[3]

Daniels had a somewhat troubled childhood. He grew up in a very poor area of Brooklyn, and was raised by relatives from the age of three after his mother died and his father abandoned him.[2] By his senior year of high school, he had attended four or five high schools (depending on the source) in three states, and could only read at a third-grade level.[1][4][2]

College career

Daniels attended UNLV and was slated to play on the basketball team under coach Jerry Tarkanian. One of Tarkanian's assistants, Mark Warkentien, became Daniels' legal guardian.[5]

Daniels enrolled at Mt. San Antonio College, a junior college near Los Angeles, to improve his academics. He played one game for Mt. San Antonio's basketball team, but later quit to focus on improving his reading proficiency. However, on February 9, 1987, Daniels was arrested for buying crack cocaine from an undercover policeman.[4][6] Although Tarkanian was known for taking in troubled players, this was too much even for him, and he announced days after the arrest that Daniels would never play for UNLV.[4] It later emerged that Daniels had first been led to UNLV by Richard Perry, who had been convicted twice for sports bribery.[7] Perry's involvement resulted in an NCAA investigation that ultimately forced Tarkanian to resign.[8][9][10]

Professional career

Daniels bounced around in the professional ranks for the next six years, and went through drug rehabilitation three times. In 1988, he was kicked off the Continental Basketball Association's Topeka Sizzlers for not staying in shape. He signed in New Zealand with Waitemata shortly after that,[11] only to be thrown off the team for heavy drinking. On May 11, 1989, Daniels was shot three times in the chest and survived.[12] He still has fragments of a bullet lodged in his right shoulder.[13] He also played in the GBA (where he was named MVP in his only season) and the USBL,[14] before playing in Greece with AEK Athens BC and in Turkey with Galatasaray. After Tarkanian was named head coach of the San Antonio Spurs for the 1992–93 season, Daniels signed with the Spurs as a free agent.

Before he signed with the Spurs, the New York Knicks were the first NBA team to express an interest in him, but declined to sign him after flying him in for a tryout during the off-season. Daniels worked hard to get himself into NBA playing shape during the summer league, and was named the Spurs starting point guard during the preseason. Indeed, Daniels had an inspired performance against the Knicks in the preseason, dominating his hometown team with 30 points in his first game on the Spurs home court, and electrifying the crowd. In a New York Times article the next day, Tarkanian noted that a Knick scout had told him after Daniels' tryout with the Knicks that he "can't play." Despite that, Daniels graciously told reporters after the game that he appreciated the opportunity that the Knicks gave him and sounded happy finally to have the opportunity to shine in the NBA. Daniels first few months in the NBA showed that he could play with the best in the world despite all of the hurdles he had overcome to get there. In only his second NBA game, he had 26 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 3 block shots, demonstrating his skill and versatility. However, after Tarkanian was fired twenty games into the season, Daniels' playing time diminished, though he did score over 20 points six times during the course of the season. Daniels played one more season with the Spurs before he was let go.

Daniels managed to play intermittently over five seasons for six NBA teams: the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings, New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors. He had several shocking comebacks, including a stint with the Lakers for the 1994–95 season. Signed to a 10-day contract, he took over a tight game, scoring 20 points in the second half to lead the Lakers to victory. He ended up in the Lakers starting lineup for about 14 games that year after that scoring outburst and finished the season with the team.

Later in his professional career, after dominating play in the CBA, the Raptors signed him to a ten-day contract and he scored 22 points in his first game with the team. Despite his obvious offensive skills, he was forever considered an off court risk and an undisciplined player, and could not find a permanent home in the NBA. Overall, Daniels played in 200 NBA games and scored 1,411 points. The NBA denied Daniels a "Life-Time Retirement" because he was 7 games short.

Then he played in Italy with Scavolini Pesaro in 1995/96 season with an average of 21.6 ppg.

Daniels continued to play exhibition games for charity, joining the Jayson Williams Foundation and its exhibition team which played games across the United States. In these games, he played alongside Jayson Williams, Walter Berry and Vladimir Cuk.[citation needed]

In October 2005, Daniels tried to revive his career by trying out with the Strong Island Sound of the American Basketball Association.[15]

His nickname, Swee'Pea, is a reference to the Popeye cartoon character of the same name. He lives in New Jersey where he coaches AAU basketball.[16][17]

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1992–93 San Antonio 77 10 20.4 .443 .333 .727 2.8 1.9 .5 .4 9.1
1993–94 San Antonio 65 5 15.1 .376 .352 .719 1.7 1.4 .4 .2 5.7
1994–95 Philadelphia 5 0 12.6 .333 .214 1.000 1.4 .8 .4 .0 4.6
1994–95 L.A. Lakers 25 15 21.6 .390 .267 .800 2.2 1.4 .8 .4 7.4
1996–97 Sacramento 5 0 5.6 .125 .182 — .8 .2 .2 .0 1.2
1996–97 New Jersey 17 0 16.6 .330 .322 .833 2.3 1.5 .5 .2 5.4
1997–98 Toronto 6 0 13.7 .414 .222 .800 1.2 .7 .5 .3 5.7
Career 200 29 17.7 .403 .316 .743 2.2 1.6 .5 .3 7.1

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1993 San Antonio 8 0 9.3 .367 .143 .833 1.9 .3 .4 .0 3.5
1994 San Antonio 4 0 16.5 .400 .500 1.000 2.3 .8 .0 .3 5.5
Career 12 0 11.7 .380 .333 .875 2.0 .4 .3 .1 4.2

References

  1. ^ a b McKinley Jr., James C. (May 13, 1989). "A Star Once, Felled First By Drugs, Now Bullets". The New York Times. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "The Sad Tale of Sweet Pea". Sports Illustrated. May 22, 1989. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008.
  3. ^ Valenti, John; Naclerio, Ron (1990). Swee'Pea and Other Playground Legends: Tales of Drugs, Violence and Basketball. ISBN 0935576398.
  4. ^ a b c "UNLV's Daniels Arrested on Drug Charges". Los Angeles Times. February 11, 1987. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  5. ^ Michael Martinez (December 21, 1990). "Confronted With New Charges, U.N.L.V. Braces for Old Battle". The New York Times.
  6. ^ Wojnarowski, Adrian (December 13, 2000). "Bayno, Tark deserve same medicine". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  7. ^ "Times says UNLV players got gambler's cash". Deseret News. March 29, 1989. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  8. ^ Robbins, Danny (June 8, 1991). "Tarkanian to quit UNLV after 1991–92 season". baltimoresun.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  9. ^ Rhoden, William C. (February 24, 1992). "COLLEGE BASKETBALL; Tarkanian Rescinds His Decision to Resign". The New York Times. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  10. ^ Wojciechowski, Gene (February 24, 1992). "Tarkanian Changes His Mind : Basketball: UNLV coach rescinds resignation, but university president says he will not allow it". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  11. ^ "New Zealand Basketball Federation Ousts Lloyd Daniels". Los Angeles Times. May 20, 1988. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  12. ^ "Daniels Critical After Shooting". The New York Times. May 12, 1989. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  13. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Daniels Is Trying For Another Comeback". The New York Times. July 11, 1989. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  14. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Lloyd Daniels's Next Stop: Long Island". The New York Times. April 30, 1992. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  15. ^ "MySA.com: Courtside: The San Antonio Spurs Blog". www.mysanantonio.com. Archived from the original on August 13, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  16. ^ Osborne, Ben (April 2, 2014). "Lloyd Daniels: Born Again". SLAM. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  17. ^ Martinez, Kiko (July 18, 2016). "Documentary Examines the Downfall of Former Spurs Guard Lloyd Daniels". San Antonio Current. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
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