Dan Issel

Nickname: "The Horse"
Ht. 6-9
Wt. 240
College - Kentucky
ABA Teams: Kentucky (1970-71 to 1974-75), Denver (1975-76)

2-Time All-American at Kentucky. Member of 1971 ABA All-Rookie Team. 6-Time ABA All-Star. 5-Time Member of ABA All-Pro Team. ABA's 2nd All-Time Scorer behind Louie Dampier. 1972 ABA All-Star Game MVP. 1971 ABA Co-Rookie of the Year. Led ABA in scoring in 70-71 with 29.4 ppg. Holds ABA Record for most points in 1 season with 2,538 in 71-72. Member of 74-75 Kentucky Colonels Championship Team. Member of Basketball Hall of Fame. Unanimous Choice for ABA All-Time Top 30 Team.

Brett Ballantini's April 1999 interview with Dan Issel.

From Jim O'Brien's 1972-73 Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball:
Real workhorse, which is something he should appreciate since he raises his own thoroughbreds in off-season . . . He's wasted little time proving himself a superstar, sharing Rookie of the Year honors in first season as ABA's leading scorer (29.9) . . . And following that by averaging 30.6 his second season, after switching from center to forward to accommodate Artis Gilmore . . . Great outside shooter, extremely strong in the middle, and one of the hardest workers in league. Pulled in almost 2,000 rebounds past two seasons, including 29 in one contest . . . Scored 21 points in ABA All-Star Game in his rookie season, and won All-Star Game MVP Award his second season . . . Set ABA season scoring record in 1971-72 with 2,538 points, playing gruelling 3,570 minutes . . . Became first ABA player to score 5,000 points in two year span . . . Large commercial success in Louisville, which takes some doing . . . Led University of Kentucky to three consecutive SEC titles . . . Greatest scorer in 67-year history of University of Kentucky . . . "My goal," he says, "is to become a 'complete pro' at both ends of the court."

Before 1975, Dan Issel and the Kentucky Colonels went together "like the Horse and Carriage, bread and butter, salt and pepper." But in October 1975, the Colonels sold Issel to the Baltimore Claws for $500,000. A few weeks later, the disorganized Claws traded Issel to Denver, where he played for nine straight years. How did Issel react to all of this upheaval at the time? Read "Issel and the Nuggets" by Dan Pattison.

9/24/75 News Conference: Dan Issel discusses his forced departure from the Colonels and the future of professional basketball in Louisville; Van Vance reports on Issel's ultimate decision to accept his trade and report to the training camp of the ill-fated Baltimore Claws. Streaming RealAudio file -- RealPlayer plug-in required (free download here) Clip courtesy of Van Vance and used with permission