McDaniels Named First-Team All-ACC, All-ACC Defensive Team by ACSMA

CLEMSON, S.C. – Junior forward K.J. McDaniels was named first-team All-ACC, announced Monday by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA). McDaniels, the first Tiger to be named first team since Trevor Booker in 2010, was also named to the All-ACC Defensive Team. The rest of the first team was comprised of Duke’s Jabari Parker, NC State’s T.J. Warren, North Carolina’s Marcus Paige and Syracuse’s C.J. Fair. He was also named second-team All-ACC by the league’s coaches, and to their All-ACC Defensive Team as well.

McDaniels was one of the most improved players in the ACC this season. Heading into the ACC Tournament, he carries team-leading averages of 17.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. For the second straight year, he leads the conference in blocks per game (2.8). McDaniels is fourth in the ACC in free throw percentage (.847), fifth in scoring, sixth in field goal percentage (.452), and seventh in rebounding.

He is the only player in the country leading his team in scoring, rebounding, three-pointers, blocks and steals. He is vying to become only the second ACC player in history to do it, joining Wake Forest’s Josh Howard in 2002-03. McDaniels has 83 blocks and 36 three-pointers, only the second player in ACC history with at least 80 blocks and 30 steals in a season (Duke’s Shane Battier was the other in 2001-02).

McDaniels is tied for the ACC lead with five “20 & 10” games – at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game. He is third among conference players with 12 games scoring at least 20 points.

The Birmingham, Ala., native is the sixth different Tiger named to the All-ACC Defensive Team, joining Vernon Hamilton (2006), Trevor Booker (2009, 2010), Jerai Grant (2011) and Andre Young (2012).