Daniel Paul Issel, popularly known Dan Issel, is part of some of my earliest childhood memories.  Listening to Caywood Ledford on the radio talking about Dampier throwing the ball into Issel for the score.   Dan Issel was the favorite player of many Kentucky kids during his four years at Kentucky. Back in the days before the one-and-done.   Yes I wish great basketball players still stayed and played for four years, but I one hundred percent understand why they don’t.  Any fan that thinks they have the right to expect them to, is thinking about themselves, and not what is in the best interest of the most talented players and their famalies.

As a kid, I remember thinking Dan Issel was a giant, he was one of tallest players to play at Kentucky that I had ever seen.  Dan was the closest thing to a  7 footer I had ever seen, (6 foot and 9 inches).

Dan had remarkable achievments during his time at Kentucky and in the NBA and as a coach.

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Born in Batavia, Illinois, on October 25, 1948.  Dan graduated from Batavia High School as an All American in 1967.  He played for coach Don Vandersnick Issel led Batavia to its first Sectional title when he was a senior, hitting the game-winning shot against Naperville Central High School to win the title. As a senior, Issel averaged 25.8 points at Batavia went 26 – 3.  So coach Adolph Rupp and every coach from the college basketball elite were recruiting him.

Issel attened the University of Kentucky. Here he played Center, Power forward and set numerous Universtiy of Kentucky school records.

At the time of this writing Dan is 71 years old,  he still makes the news through his interviews, where people still want his expertise and sound bites. Nicknamed “The Horse”,  many people feel Dan Issel was the the hardest working basketball player in the history of Kentucky basketball  and often people say that he has in fact been underrated.

Issel has played over 1200 basketball games in his professional lifetime and has achieved everything simply through old fashioned hard work. He reached the prime of his career when there were very few televisions and no Internet. Therefore, making a name in those times that is carried on even today is absolutely commendable.   He was the best during his time because he worked tirelessly on the court, he never took a play off.  This hard work mindset always has and always will be the distinquishing factor for talented players.  Talent + Hardwork = Success.  It always has and it always will.

Dan Issel's Game on the Court

His game was always rugged and offensive. Strong and decisive moves on the court, with his smooth  15 feet jump shot was the highlight of his game He was the University of Kentucky Hall of Fame star setting a whooping 23 school records under the legendary coach Adolph Rupp during college. He scored the highest points for his team - the Wildcats, including the highest number of rebounds and led the Wildcats to  three Southeastern Conference titles. While in his senior year in the University of Kentucky, Issel  averareged  33.9 points per game, this was before the 3-Point shot.  He averaged 36 points during the Kentucky Wildcasts run to the elite 8 his senior year.

Family and friends

Born to Robert and Elanor Issel, Dan Issel grew up with his sister and brother - Kathi and Greg. Even in school, the Batavia High School, Dan hit the winning shot against Naperville Central High School and won the Sectional title as a senior. His average points on this game were 25.8 on Batavia's 26-3 team.

Issel’s home shared it’s backyard with his friend and former NFL football quarterback, Ken Anderson’s home. Issel and Anderson grew up together and later went on to co-own a 782 acre farm in Kentucky. A couple of other schoolmates and seniors of Issel in the Batavia went on to becoming future sports announcers, footballers and basketball players. Looking back Dan Issel gives the credit of the success for himself and few others to his school Batavia and says Batavia instilled “solid work ethic” in him and also in all their athletes in the small town of about 20,000 people.

Coaches and mentors that made him who he is

Issel’s coach in high school, VanDersnick, taught him how to dunk with volleyball and made sure he Issel would jump up and grab the rim at least 50 times a day during practice. Issel has stated several times his belief and dedication towards his  coaches is one of the primary factors that lead to his succeed on his journey towards stardom. He said if his coach, Don Vandersnick had said that diving off a water tower would make them better basketball players, there would be a long line of dedicated men like him waiting to do it.

Issel, with his set of high morals and discipline passed on to him from his family and coach Vandersnick, graduated  high school in the year 1967.  There are so many coaches around the world that don't quite understand the important role they play in helping young men not just prepare for sports, but for life.

For his college basketball , Issel made the wise choice and chose to join the University of Kentucky. Here is where another legendary coach was about to chisel his game further.

His name was Coach Adolph Rupp. From the years 1966 to 1970, Dan Issel was a UK Wildcat fan favorite.  He averaged of 25.7 per game – that is 2,138 points. He had 1078 rebounds and went on to be named All American for two of three seasons.  In those days there were freshman teams, and freshmen could not be chosen as All Americans.   Among the UK men's players, Dan’s total career points remain the highest. Because of the one and done this is a record that may never be broken.  During Dan’s early games in his career, his teammates were ignoring him during a game.  Adophy Rupp wasn't having it, he stepped in and called for a timeout.

He announced to the gathered team  and in the hudle he told the older players  they should “meet” Dan Issel as the man who would be “Kentucky's all-time leading scorer” in the future. This was a clear message to the team and as history is proof, Issel went on to do all of those things coach Rupp predicted for him, proving that high expectations is good for all coaches, parents, teachers, and those in leadership positions to have.

Dan Issel's Record breaking success

While playing for Kentucky, Issel broke several records. One of them was on 7^th February 1970 where Kentucky won in a 120–85 match Issel scored 53 points over Ole Miss. This broke the Cliffford Oldham Hagan’s record of 51 in a single game. Dan Issel’s victory could not be broken for the coming 40 years until 2009, when Jodie Meeks, currently a free agent, broke the record against Tennessee with 54 points.  Many Kentucky fans will remember when and where they are when Jody just took the Tennesee Vols to school.

Issel made another record, which is currently the third best in the University of Kentucky’s history. This was when Dan Issel scored 51 points at the Louisiana State University on 21^st February 1970. Issel remained a star in the University of Kentucky for three years. Here is where he set 23 school records in his career and led his team to bring home three South Eastern Conference titles.

The school that found him love

The University of Kentucky also holds a special place in Dan Issel’s personal life as he met his wife Cheri here. She was a cheerleader in the university and became an accomplished artist. They have two children Sheridan and Scott.

Dan Issel Stats

Hometown: Batavia, IL (High)
Position: C Playing Height: 6-8 Playing Weight: 240
Date of Birth: October 25, 1948
Legal Name: Daniel Paul Issel

Game by Game Statistics
Prep Notes:
Parade All-American
Scholastic Coach All-American
Kentucky Career Notes:
Retired Jersey #44