Xavier Mcdaniel

Wes Matthews couldn't say anything while Xavier McDaniel's fingers were wrapped around his windpipe in Seattle last month, but once he caught his breath, the Laker backup guard vowed that McDaniel's "bald head will be mine" the next time the Seattle SuperSonics come to the Forum. Well, that time arrives tonight, but if anyone really believes McDaniel's smooth-as-marble skull will somehow wind up as a trophy in Matthews' locker, they obviously haven't checked with X, as he is known.

Bernie Bickerstaff, the first-year coach of the Seattle SuperSonics, was discussing the merits of rookie forward Xavier McDaniel recently with Dallas Coach Dick Motta, who was Bickerstaff's boss in Washington. "Bernie loves the guy," Motta said. "When he gets through talking he tells me, 'You'd love to coach this one.' From what I've seen and heard, I like McDaniel a lot."