Dwayne McClain played 105 career NBL games, averaged 25.4 points per game, finished third in MVP voting in 1993 and was a part of the All-NBL Teams in 1991-1993.
He was the first NBL player to be sponsored by an international brand (Coca-Cola) and, along with Andrew Gaze, was the first NBL player to have his own signature shoe (with Reebok).
The 'D-Train' joins host Dan Boyce on the show to discuss his time with the Sydney Kings, Gold Coast Rollers and Brisbane Bullets and his experiences playing in college and the NBA.
Although fondly remembered in Australia for being a part of the exciting Kings squads of the 1990s, he also won an NCAA championship with Villanova where he was the game-high scorer against a supremely talented Georgetown team that featured Patrick Ewing.
To win the championship McClain and Villanova University had to play 'The Perfect Game' and he takes through that period of his life and how it shaped the rest of his career.
Tune in to hear all of this and a lot more.
Topics include...
Dwayne McClain returns to Australia (2:00)
Winning the 1985 NCAA championship and being a part of ‘the perfect game’ (6:00)
A stint with the Indiana Pacers (12:30)
Playing with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s All-Star team and discovering basketball in Australia (16:00)
His first season in Sydney (18:00)
His second season with the Kings and the 92 semi-final series against the Melbourne Tigers (19:30)
1993, his third year with the Kings and what led to the disappointing season (22:30)
Trevor Ariza and his Sydney Kings connection (23:30)
How McClain and the Sydney Kings parted ways (24:00)
A short stint with the Gold Coast Rollers and then the Brisbane Bullets (26:00)
How D-Train ended his time in the NBL (30:00)
Basketball blood runs deep in the McClain family with NBA legend Chuck Person and Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Katrina McClain being his cousins (31:00)
The nightlife in Sydney during the 1990s (34:00)
The biggest learning moments and the highlights from Dwayne’s basketball journey (35:30)Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.
Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball.
Head to Aussie Hoopla to check out previous podcasts featuring; Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, Phil Smyth, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Damian Martin, Brad Newley
Current NBL Stars - Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Tyler Harvey, Dejan Vasiljevic, Thomas Abercrombie, Daniel Johnson, Jason Cadee, Mitch McCarron, Anthony Drmic, Luke Travers
Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Barry Barnes, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole, Will Weaver, Bruce Palmer
NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Jack White, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff, Doug Overton
The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Dwayne McClain, Darnell Mee, Shawn Redhage, Al Green, Steve Woodberry, Doug Overton, Kevin Lisch
And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Mal Speed, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chris Pongrass, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner, Danny Mills
All that and much more.
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