SWAT WAS THAT

K.J. McDaniels is being touted by Clemson for consideration as a member of the All-ACC first team. The school has a persuasive argument, considering McDaniels is an extraordinarily exciting and consistent player and the only double-figure scorer on a 17-win team with still-flickering NCAA aspirations.

Kevin McDaniels Jr. (but don't call him that) is the only male NCAA player pacing his team in points (16.8), rebounds (6.9), three-point goals (33-109, .303), blocks (75) and steals (34). Through games of March 1 he's within reach of matching Wake Forest Josh Howard (2003) as the sole modern ACC performers to achieve such leadership across an entire season.

(Before we proceed, note that stats weren't kept by the ACC in blocks or steals prior to 1977, or of course on 3-pointers prior to their official advent in 1987.)

McDaniels' across-the-board line of statistical leadership is impressive enough. But the junior forward has achieved something unique in ACC men's basketball history that the Tigers aren't touting: He is, at 6-6, the shortest player ever to pace the conference in rejections.

McDaniels is also among only 11 players in 38 years who've repeated as the ACC leader in blocked shots.

We imagine Duke's Jabari Parker, North Carolina's Marcus Paige, and N.C. State's T.J. Warren are locks for All-ACC. Then in the mix are the much-discussed likes of Pitt's Lamar Patterson, Syracuse's Tyler Ennis and C.J. Fair, and Virginia's Malcolm Brodgon. But McDaniels belongs too.