{"product_id":"dan-issel-from-kentucky-wildcat-to-nba-legend-paperback","title":"Dan Issel: From Kentucky Wildcat to NBA Legend - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eDan Issel\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eDoug Brunk\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eHannah Storm\u003c\/b\u003e (Foreword by)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDan Issel didn't just play the game--he transformed it\u003ci\u003e.\u003c\/i\u003e Over a career spanning more than thirty-five years, he left an indelible mark on every level of basketball. From breaking records at the University of Kentucky to starting for the Kentucky Colonels and later the Denver Nuggets, Issel made an unmistakable impact. Playing in more than 1,200 professional games--missing only twenty-four--he earned the nickname \"The Horse\" for his relentlessness and durability. A prolific scorer, he amassed over 27,000 points across his combined ABA and NBA career, securing a place among the top scorers in basketball history. After hanging up his jersey, Issel continued shaping the sport as the Nuggets' head coach and, later, general manager.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eDan Issel\u003c\/i\u003e delivers a vivid and revealing portrait of this basketball legend, illuminating both his extraordinary career and the man behind the records. In collaboration with journalist Doug Brunk, Issel revisits his roots in rural Illinois, his enduring love of Thoroughbreds, and the ways his faith and family sustained him amid the demands of professional sports. Told with candor, warmth, and striking detail, Issel's story blends personal history with the game's sweeping evolution, offering a powerful narrative that will resonate across generations. It's a compelling read for basketball fans of all ages--and an essential addition to the bookshelf of every University of Kentucky Wildcat fan.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eDan Issel \u003c\/b\u003eis a former professional basketball player and coach. He remains the all-time leading scorer for the University of Kentucky men's basketball program, where he earned All-American honors twice, broke twenty-three school records, and led the Wildcats to three Southeastern Conference titles. In Issel's professional career in the ABA, he was a six-time All-Star for the Kentucky Colonels. He ranks third on the Denver Nuggets' all-time scoring list and remains a central figure in the team's history. Issel returned to the Nuggets for two stints as head coach and also as general manager. In 1993, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. \u003cb\u003eDoug Brunk \u003c\/b\u003eis an award-winning journalist who has written hundreds of articles for trade and consumer publications. He is the author of \u003ci\u003eWildcat Memories: Inside Stories from Kentucky Basketball Greats\u003c\/i\u003e and\u003ci\u003e Forty Minutes to Glory: Inside the Kentucky Wildcats' 1978 Championship Season\u003c\/i\u003e and also coauthor of \u003ci\u003eThey Call Me Goose: My Life in Kentucky Basketball and Beyond\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 224\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.7 x 8.9 x 5.9 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e November 02, 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67919266709811,"sku":"9781985905214","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0300\/5595\/6612\/files\/s1vg2AsqZQ9781985905214.webp?v=1793782017","url":"https:\/\/www.vysn.com\/products\/dan-issel-from-kentucky-wildcat-to-nba-legend-paperback","provider":"VYSN","version":"1.0","type":"link"}