On this day in Boston Celtics history, the decorated ball club signed forward Xavier McDaniel as an unrestricted free agent. McDaniel played his collegiate basketball with the Wichita State Shockers, with whom he was the NCAA’s national scoring leader in 1985 and rebounding leader in both 1983 and 1985. McDaniel was a consensus first-team All-American in 1985 as well.
The former Shocker was taken by the (then) Seattle Supersonics (now, Oklahoma City Thunder) in the 1985 NBA draft with the fourth pick, and McDaniel finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting behind future Hall of Fame big man Patrick Ewing.
The Columbia, South Carolina, native instead made the All-Rookie first team as a consolation prize.