Lloyd Daniels

For the X-Factor contestant, see Lloyd Daniels (singer).

Lloyd Daniels
Personal information
Born (1967-09-04) September 4, 1967
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High schoolAndrew Jackson
(Queens, New York)
CollegeMt. SAC (1986–1987)
NBA draft1988: undrafted
Playing career1987–2006
PositionShooting guard
Number24, 44, 25
Career history
1987–1988Topeka Sizzlers
1988Waitemata Dolphins
1989–1990Quad City Thunder
1991Miami Tropics
1991–1992Greensboro City Gaters
1992Long Island Surf
1992–1994San Antonio Spurs
1994Philadelphia 76ers
1995Limoges CSP
1995Los Angeles Lakers
1995Fort Wayne Fury
1995–1996Scavolini Pesaro
1996Sacramento Kings
1996–1997New Jersey Nets
1997Fort Wayne Fury
1997–1999Polluelos de Aibonito
1999Toronto Raptors
1998Galatasaray S.K.
1998Idaho Stampede
1998–1999AEK B.C.
1999Sioux Falls Skyforce
1999–2000Baltimore BayRunners
2000Trenton Shooting Stars
2000Long Island Surf
2001Tampa Bay ThunderDawgs
2001–2002Panteras de Miranda
2001–2002Scafati Basket
2002–2003Ovarense Basquetebol
2005–2006Strong Island Sound
Career highlights
Stats at NBA.com 
Stats at Basketball Reference 

Lloyd Daniels (born September 4, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Swee'Pea", he played five seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings, New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors.

Early life

Daniels was born on September 4, 1967, to Lloyd and Judy Daniels.[1] His mother contracted uterine cancer shortly after his birth and died when Daniels was aged three.[1] His father subsequently turned to alcohol and disappeared from Daniels' life.[1] Daniels was raised by his two grandmothers who lived in Hollis, Queens, and Brooklyn.[1]

Daniels struggled with undiagnosed dyslexia, transferred high schools multiple times and played little prep basketball because of academic troubles.[1] He honed his skills in playground games.[1] Approaching his junior year of high school, Daniels became a national name when he was named the most outstanding player at the Five-Star Camp in 1985.[1] Howard Garfinkel, the director of the Five-Star Camp, called Daniels "the best junior alive, dead, or yet unborn."[1] John Valenti and Ron Naclerio wrote that Daniels was known for combining passing and shooting abilities.[2]

Daniels played for an entire season at Andrew Jackson High School as a junior when he averaged 31.2 points, 12.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game.[1] He was selected as a Parade All-American.[1] Daniels received comparisons to Connie Hawkins and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar while being hailed by sportswriters as the best high school basketball player from New York City in two decades.[3] Daniels dropped out of high school the day after his junior season ended.[1]

College career

Daniels attracted the attention of UNLV Runnin' Rebels head coach Jerry Tarkanian.[1] He was ineligible to play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) so Tarkanian helped Daniels receive admission to Mt. San Antonio College to improve his academics.[1] He played one game for Mt. San Antonio's basketball team but quit to focus on improving his reading proficiency.

On February 9, 1987, Daniels was arrested for buying crack cocaine from an undercover policeman.[4][5] Although Tarkanian was known for taking in troubled players, this incident was too much even for him, and Tarkanian announced that Daniels would never play for UNLV.[4] It later emerged that Daniels had first been led to UNLV by Richard Perry, who had been convicted twice for sports bribery.[6] Perry's involvement resulted in an NCAA investigation that ultimately forced Tarkanian to resign.[7][8][9]

Later one of Tarkanian's assistants, Mark Warkentien, became Daniels' legal guardian.[10]

Professional career

After a court-ordered rehabilitation stint, Daniels started his career with the Topeka Sizzlers of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He then signed with Waitemata in New Zealand.[11] Both stints ended prematurely due to issues with drugs and alcohol so he voluntarily entered a rehabilitation program in Van Nuys, California, that was frequented by basketball players.[1]

After recovering from a 1989 shooting that nearly killed him, Daniels returned to playing basketball in 1991 with the Miami Tropics of the United States Basketball League (USBL).[1] The team was led by John Lucas II and doubled as a rehabilitation program for players with addictions.[1] After a successful stint in the USBL and the Global Basketball Association (GBA),[12] Daniels was invited to the San Antonio Spurs training camp in 1992 by new head coach Tarkanian.[1] On July 21, 1992, Daniels signed a two-year contract with the Spurs.[13]

Daniels played for six NBA teams: the Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings, New Jersey Nets, and Toronto Raptors.[14][15][16] Daniels played for the Fort Wayne Fury of the CBA during the 1994–95 season and was selected to the All-CBA Second Team.[17] He also played in Italy with Scavolini Pesaro during the 1995–96 season.[18]

He also played overseas in Greece with AEK Athens BC and in Turkey with Galatasaray.

In October 2005, Daniels tried out for the Strong Island Sound of the American Basketball Association.[19]

Personal life

Daniels' nickname, Swee'Pea, is a reference to the Popeye cartoon character of the same name.[1]

On May 11, 1989, Daniels was shot in the chest and neck during a drug-related shooting.[1][20]

Daniels has three children.[21] His son, Lloyd, played college basketball at Lubbock Christian University.[21]

Daniels lives in New Jersey where he coaches AAU basketball.[1][22]

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1992–93 San Antonio 77 10 20.4 .443 .333 .727 2.8 1.9 .5 .4 9.1
1993–94 San Antonio 65 5 15.1 .376 .352 .719 1.7 1.4 .4 .2 5.7
1994–95 Philadelphia 5 0 12.6 .333 .214 1.000 1.4 .8 .4 .0 4.6
1994–95 L.A. Lakers 25 15 21.6 .390 .267 .800 2.2 1.4 .8 .4 7.4
1996–97 Sacramento 5 0 5.6 .125 .182 — .8 .2 .2 .0 1.2
1996–97 New Jersey 17 0 16.6 .330 .322 .833 2.3 1.5 .5 .2 5.4
1997–98 Toronto 6 0 13.7 .414 .222 .800 1.2 .7 .5 .3 5.7
Career 200 29 17.7 .403 .316 .743 2.2 1.6 .5 .3 7.1

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1993 San Antonio 8 0 9.3 .367 .143 .833 1.9 .3 .4 .0 3.5
1994 San Antonio 4 0 16.5 .400 .500 1.000 2.3 .8 .0 .3 5.5
Career 12 0 11.7 .380 .333 .875 2.0 .4 .3 .1 4.2

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Osborne, Ben (April 2, 2014). "Lloyd Daniels: Born Again". SLAM. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  2. ^ Valenti, John; Naclerio, Ron (1990). Swee'Pea and Other Playground Legends: Tales of Drugs, Violence and Basketball. M. Kesend Pub. ISBN 0935576398.
  3. ^ McKinley Jr., James C. (May 13, 1989). "A Star Once, Felled First By Drugs, Now Bullets". The New York Times. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "UNLV's Daniels Arrested on Drug Charges". Los Angeles Times. February 11, 1987. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  5. ^ Wojnarowski, Adrian (December 13, 2000). "Bayno, Tark deserve same medicine". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  6. ^ "Times says UNLV players got gambler's cash". Deseret News. March 29, 1989. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  7. ^ Robbins, Danny (June 8, 1991). "Tarkanian to quit UNLV after 1991–92 season". baltimoresun.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  8. ^ Rhoden, William C. (February 24, 1992). "COLLEGE BASKETBALL; Tarkanian Rescinds His Decision to Resign". The New York Times. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  9. ^ Wojciechowski, Gene (February 24, 1992). "Tarkanian Changes His Mind : Basketball: UNLV coach rescinds resignation, but university president says he will not allow it". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  10. ^ Michael Martinez (December 21, 1990). "Confronted With New Charges, U.N.L.V. Braces for Old Battle". The New York Times.
  11. ^ "New Zealand Basketball Federation Ousts Lloyd Daniels". Los Angeles Times. May 20, 1988. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  12. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Lloyd Daniels's Next Stop: Long Island". The New York Times. April 30, 1992. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  13. ^ "Spurs sign Daniels to 2-year deal". UPI.com. July 21, 1992. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  14. ^ "Lakers sign Lloyd Daniels". Tampa Bay Times. February 23, 1995. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  15. ^ "Jerry Tarkanian fired as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs after 9-11 start in 1992". WOAI. December 17, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  16. ^ "Daniels Tries Again with the Raptors". Los Angeles Times. January 7, 1998. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  17. ^ "Lloyd Daniels minor league basketball statistics". Stats Crew. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
  18. ^ "Carpegna Prosciutto Pesaro Roster, Schedule, Stats (1995-1996) | Proballers". Proballers. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  19. ^ "MySA.com: Courtside: The San Antonio Spurs Blog". www.mysanantonio.com. Archived from the original on August 13, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  20. ^ "FORMER HOOP PROSPECT DANIELS SHOT". Deseret News. May 12, 1989. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  21. ^ a b Williams, Don (March 11, 2022). "Polishing a legacy: Daniels, learning from his dad, is making all the right moves". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  22. ^ Martinez, Kiko (July 18, 2016). "Documentary Examines the Downfall of Former Spurs Guard Lloyd Daniels". San Antonio Current. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
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