All Episodes

February 21, 2023 49 mins
He didn’t make varsity on his high school basketball team in Batavia, Illinois until he was a junior. A huge growth spurt from 5’11” to 6’8’ helped, as did his high school coach who took the time to help make Dan Issel a future icon at the University of Kentucky, the ABA and the NBA.

Dan still holds the record as the all-time leading scorer at Kentucky, a record he set in 1970 that will likely never be broken. After college Dan played in the ABA and set the league on fire as the 1971 ABA Rookie of the Year and scoring champ, the 1972 ABA All Star Game MVP, ABA Champion in 1975 and 6-time ABA All-Star. After he was sold (yes sold) to the Nuggets and the ABA & NBA merged, Dan added another All-Star appearance to his name as a member of the NBA. His #44 jersey is one of 7 retired Nuggets jerseys.

After his playing days were over, Dan had two stints coaching the Nuggets, both of which ended with resignations. In retirement, Dan is now enjoying life in the Denver area with wife of over 50 years, Cheri, his two adult children and 5 grandchildren. He also co-hosts a radio show on ESPN Radio in Louisville. Dan is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the College Basketball Hall of Fame and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.

Hosted by Susie Wargin

To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.com
Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.