#40 Durand Macklin Season 2023-24

ALL-CENTURY TEAM MEMBER

In his first college game, he set a school rebounding record that no one has come close to, pulling down 32 boards in a win against Tulane.

He became the school’s all-time leading rebounder with 1,276 rebounds (a 10.4 rebounds per game average). That figure remains on top of the school chart. He also became the second leading scorer all-time at LSU behind Pete Maravich (2,080 points, 16.9 points per game average).

Much of his success, including his All-America season in 1981, came after returning from a serious knee injury that forced him to miss all but two games of the 1978-79 season. In 1981, he was also named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and led the Tigers to their first NCAA Final Four since 1953. He beat out a star-studded cast of players including Georgia’s Dominque Wilkins, Kentucky’s Sam Bowie, and other future NBA players such as Jeff Malone of Mississippi State, Dale Ellis of Tennessee, Eddie Phillips of Alabama and teammate Howard Carter.

In Macklin’s four years, LSU had records of 18-9, 23-6, 26-6 and 31-5. The Tigers won one SEC title, one SEC Tournament championship, advanced to the Elite 8 and the Final Four during the Macklin days.

One writer wrote of Macklin, “Macklin’s aggressiveness has never been questioned in the Southeastern Conference. If they gave an award for the hardest worker, Macklin would have been the consensus choice of his peers, who marvel at how much effort he puts into the game.”

In 2000, he was honored as the school’s “Living Legend” at the SEC basketball tournament and in 2005 he was elected to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

Macklin moved on to the NBA after his collegiate career ended, playing three seasons for the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks from 1981-1984. He posted averages of 6.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.