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Wooden Award Flashback: Rock Chalk Jayhawk for Danny Manning

Los Angeles |

By W.G. Ramnirez
The Sporting Tribune

The John R. Wooden Award will celebrate it’s 50th anniversary this season. Leading up to the award ceremony on April 10, 2026, The Sporting Tribune in partnership with the Wooden Award and the Los Angeles Athletic Club will highlight past winners of the Wooden Award and the Legends of Coaching Award.

Danny Manning’s biggest influence in his life was his father, Ed.

The advice, mentorship, parenting, love and care, none of it was taken for granted.

So, when Ed Manning took a job as an assistant coach at the University of Kansas before his son’s senior year of high school, it would prove to be a pivotal move all around.

The Mannings moved to Lawrence, Kansas, and Danny transferred into Lawrence High School, where, as a senior he was named Kansas Player of the Year.

It seemed only fitting that Manning commit to and play for Kansas, where he led the Jayhawks to the 1988 NCAA championship in his senior season.

Manning scored 31 points, grabbed 18 rebounds, had five steals, and blocked two shots in the championship game against a heavily favored Oklahoma Sooners squad that happened to be a conference rival.

Manning was a different breed, as he brought a rare combination of size, skill, intelligence, and leadership to the court. At 6-foot-10, he had the height of a traditional power forward or center.

But at his size, he was ahead of his time. Unlike most big men in his era, his guard-like skills were unique, as he could handle the ball, pass, and shoot with fluidity.

Manning’s ability to score from anywhere – the post, mid-range, and at times, the perimeter – made him a matchup nightmare on any given night, and against any opponent.

Thanks to his father, his basketball IQ was off the charts, as Manning became known for his court awareness and decision-making. He wasn’t just a scorer, as Manning could facilitate on offense, read defenses well, and make all of his teammates better.

Manning left Kansas as the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder, while also setting the all-time scoring mark in Big Eight Conference history with 2,951 career points.

In 1988, Manning won the Wooden, Naismith, and National Association Basketball Coaches awards as the college player of the year.

His understanding of the game translated into an extended NBA career despite multiple ACL injuries, playing 15 seasons, which was a testament to his discipline and work ethic. Manning was a two-time NBA All-Star, was named the Sixth Man of the Year in 1998 and scored more than 12,000 points.

Eventually, he’d follow in his father’s footsteps and enjoy a successful coaching career. Manning returned to Lawrence, where he served as an assistant at his alma mater from 2006-2012, winning five Big 12 regular-season titles and the national championship in 2008.

After that, Manning was the head coach at Tulsa (2012-2014) and Wake Forest (2014-2020) before being hired as an assistant at Maryland in 2021 under Mark Turgeon and eventually was named the interim coach. He also served as an associate head coach at Louisville from 2022-24, and is now serving in the same capacity at Colorado.

His leadership and mentorship have been widely praised as he’s become an invaluable influence on the game.