NBA was always full of good defenders and strong athletes who gave their team the necessary stability. The coaches praised those players and rely on their constitution and hustling on the field. One of the best perimeter defenders in the history of the most prestigious national basketball league on the planet were Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Gary Payton, etc.
One of the biggest potential perimeter defenders was K.J. McDaniels. His appearance in 2014 in the NBA circles was followed by comments on how he could cover and lock down multiple different positions on the court. Let’s see his road in the NBA and BIG3 in the upcoming story.
Where did McDaniels perform before NBA?
After going to Central Park Christian School in Alabama, K.J. started playing basketball for the university team Clemson in season 2010/2011.
Despite having a limited number of minutes in his debut season, McDaniels averaged 3.9 points and grabbed 1.8 points per fixture. The sophomore season was even better for K.J. McDaniels as the average number of points and rebounds raised to 10.9 and 5, respectively.
His form in his junior days developed and he became one of the best players in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). McDaniels ended the 2013/2014 campaign scoring 17 points and grabbing 7.1 rebounds per game.
What was K.J.’s first team in the most popular national basketball league in the world?
After declaring for the 2014 NBA draft, McDaniels was picked by Philadelphia as the 32nd overall pick.
Before the start of the season, K.J. and his agent had hard negotiations over the type of deal between the player and the club. 96ers were offering a four-year deal with two guaranteed and two non-guaranteed years, but that was something the hero of the story and his agent didn’t accept.
They looked for a one-year deal after which K.J.’s value will be determined on the market and he will be the restricted free agent. His performances gave him the role of one the most important Philadelphia star from the bench, especially after the 21 points and 13 rebounds on personal account in a game against Dallas.
Here are highlights from K.J. McDaniels performances in 2015 season:
What happened with McDaniels after his debut season in NBA?
Following half of the season spent in the 96ers, K.J. was bought by Houston in exchange for Isaiah Canaan and a 2015 second–round pick. Appearing in only 10 fixtures for the Rockets until the end of 2014/2015 and suffering an injury in the right elbow was a massive disappointment for McDaniels, though.
However, the ex-Philadelphia player re-signed a deal with Houston Rockets worth $10 million to a three years on July 21, 2015. Rocket’s victory against Oklahoma was the fixture where K.J. McDaniels got the highest number of minutes on the court – 10.
Coaches of Houston simply couldn’t use McDaniel’s skills in the right manner, so it was a question of time when the hero of our story will change the environment.
What was the next step for K.J. on his road to fame?
After scoring 2.8 points and 1 rebound per game throughout 29 games in the 2016/2017 season, Mc Daniels was sent surprisingly to Brooklyn Nets. Failing to make an impact in Texas was devastating for K.J. and signing a deal with Brooklyn was a chance for our hero’s redemption.
The Brooklyn’s expenditure for this player was $ 75000 in cash as they believed the former Philadelphia man could bring them another option in defense with his strength.

How was McDaniel’s time with Brooklyn Nets?
Following three relatively unsuccessful seasons in Houston, McDaniels hoped to have bigger numbers on his score sheet during his stint with Brooklyn. K.J. averaged 6.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 14.7 minutes per fixture throughout 20 games overall in a Nets shirt.
Season-high 16 points produced by K.J. McDaniels were recorded versus Phoenix Suns in a 126-98 victory on March 23, 2017. Eventually, that performance didn’t keep him in Brooklyn as the Nets declined his team option for the 2017/2018 season. Continuation of struggling to help teams took McDaniels into the new search of a club.
In the summer of 2017, the hero of these paragraphs agreed with Toronto. The epilogue of collaboration between the Canadian team and him was disappointing as he was waived by Raptors in October 2017 without one appearance of K.J. McDaniels in their shirt.
Where did the path take K.J. after the Toronto experience?
After a brief tenure with team Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA G League, K.J. performed for Portland throughout the 2018 NBA Summer League. Getting the MVP award of the championship game in the NBA Summer League recommended K.J. to the Oklahoma City Thunder who signed him on September 23, 2018.
Waiving McDaniels was followed by agreeing with Oklahoma City Blue, Thunder’s affiliate in NBA G-League. Good K.J. performance came in a victory over Agua Caliente Clippers where the former Brooklyn star went to score 21 points and grab 8 rebounds.
What occurred with McDaniels after withdrawing from NBA?
K.J. McDaniels was struggling to find the right form during stints with four NBA teams, so the logical next step for him was trying to excel in different circumstances. The hero of these paragraphs chose to participate in the 2022 Big3 draft where he was taken by the team Killer 3s in the 2nd round.
A powerful trio made of Donte Greene, Josh Powell and Franklin Nitty Session as captain was aiming to win the fifth edition of Fireball. Dominique Johnson strengthened along with K.J.’s roster for challenges that waited for them in the 2022 season.
A 5-3 score was not enough for taking part in the Final Four, so the McDaniels ended the debut Big3 competition in bad mood.
What are main McDaniel’s virtues on the court?
Coaches praised McDaniels because K.J. is a strong athlete who can defend the rim in a great manner. His lateral gait and length along with the determination to defend against all sorts of attacks from the opponent are a valuable asset to any particular team, so this star is worth investing in the long – term.
Blocking and guarding the pick and roll of the rivals are traits that separate McDaniels from other players who are focused more on the defensive part of the play. The former Brooklyn player’s efficiency in stopping top flight-guards is compensating lack of offensive quality in his play.
What are the biggest K.J. flaws on the field?
McDaniel’s weakest point is three-point shooting where he had low percentages of accuracy throughout his career. The disadvantage was used as opponents let him alone behind the arc while covering other positions better.
Ball handling and perimeter shots were other things in K.J.’s performances that had space for improvement as he was always mentioning how hard work is put in that segment. Overall, this star’s offensive game was the biggest flaw during NBA road.
A confident kid like K.J. McDaniels wanted to control his destiny when he refused a four-year deal contract offered by Philadelphia in 2014. As you already know, his taking of short-term risk in the faith of getting a long-term prize was something was unusual for American basketball circles.
At the same time, that act was admired by many basketball spectators and brought this small forward the title of a good defender off the field. Will K.J. snatch the trophy in the Big 3 when he couldn’t do that during the five seasons in the most popular basketball national league in the world? Let the time tell.
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