By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

LEXINGTON - The term "sacrificing" can connote "starving." In Erik Daniels' case, the word meant second and third trips through the cafeteria line.

The Kentucky senior basketball player from Princeton High School is drawing double-takes after adding nearly 25 pounds this offseason and starting in a surprise position: center.

The assignment to bulk up - called a sacrifice by coach Tubby Smith - represents the last step in Daniels' transformation from high school point guard.

"I never would have thought this," Daniels said. "I thought I'd always be a guard."

Ah, but in a way he still is - in the "old school," quicksilver style the 6-foot-8, 228-pounder brings to his new role.

Daniels totaled 24 points, 10 rebounds and a team-high five assists Tuesday in UK's exhibition opener against Team Nike, shooting 12-of-21 from the field. Every stat in his 28 minutes except the assist total would have been a career high had they come in a regulation game.

Daniels is poised for more in a hybrid position that could be termed "point-center."

"I've grown a lot," he said. "It's helped my game a lot, because I'm able to do guard things at the size of a big man."

He was a 5-10 point guard when he began high school. But he grew 10 inches in five years and has added about 50 pounds since enrolling at UK.

The departure of 6-10 Marquis Estill and 6-11 Jules Camara, plus the inexperience of 7-3 Shagari Alleyne and 7-1 Lukasz Obrzut - both freshmen - meant Smith needed an unorthodox answer at center.

"He has probably improved as much as anybody in the offseason. . . . He's the type of player that could play at the next level," Smith said of Daniels.

As a sophomore, Daniels averaged 3.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and shot 46 percent. Last season, those figures soared to 9.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 56.7 percent.

Can he play a physical game? Tuesday, nine of his rebounds were on offense.

"With my added strength, I can guard bigger guys," Daniels said. "I still have my quickness, and I'm able to go around (big defenders) easier.

"I feel comfortable playing anywhere on the floor."