Don MacLean (basketball)


Donald James MacLean is an American former professional basketball player who played in the NBA. As a college player, he is the all-time scoring leader of both the Pac-12 Conference and UCLA. In 1994, MacLean won the NBA Most Improved Player Award as a member of the Washington Bullets. He currently works as a basketball color analyst.

High school career

Born in Palo Alto, California, MacLean graduated from Simi Valley High School in Simi Valley, California where he was an All-American his senior year.

College career

MacLean played in college at UCLA from 1989 to 1992. He still holds the school record for points scored which is also the Pac-12 Conference's all-time scoring record, passing Sean Elliott's then record of 2,555 points. In his senior season, MacLean led UCLA to the 1992 Elite 8. He was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002.

NBA career

MacLean was the 19th pick in the 1992 NBA draft. He was initially drafted by the Detroit Pistons but was traded on draft day to the Washington Bullets. MacLean, along with his 1994–95 Washington Bullets teammates Rex Chapman, Tom Gugliotta, and Scott Skiles, all reunited in Phoenix in 1999–2000 when Chapman, Gugliotta, and MacLean were Suns players and Skiles was the head coach. As highly productive scoring Bullets teammates in 1994–95, Chapman averaged 11.0 points per game, Gugliotta averaged 16.0, Skiles averaged 13.0, and MacLean averaged 11.0. However, as Suns teammates, Gugliotta averaged 13.7, Chapman averaged only 6.6, and MacLean averaged only 2.6. MacLean is considered by many to have had one of the quickest releases in the game.
In November 2000, the NBA suspended MacLean five games for testing positive for steroids. He was the first player suspended for steroid use. Charles Barkley later commented "I've seen Don MacLean naked, and he doesn't use steroids."

Broadcasting career

MacLean serves as the color analyst on the UCLA Basketball Radio Network. He is an analyst on the Los Angeles Clippers TV broadcasts on Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket. He also is a weekly basketball contributor on Fox Sports Radio Network's Petros and Money Show. MacLean also serves as the color analyst for various games on the Pac-12 Network.

Personal life

MacLean lives in Southern California with his wife, Brooke, and three sons Kyle, Blake and Trent.