When Levingston left for the NBA, McDaniel became a starter and averaged 18.8 points and 14.4 rebounds as a power forward opposite Carr.

The following season, Carr left, and McDaniel raised his scoring average to 20.6 points per game and was the Missouri Valley Conference MVP.

[10][11] McDaniel was traded fifteen games into the 1990–91 season to the Phoenix Suns for Eddie Johnson and two draft picks.

Dismayed with Knicks' subpar contract offer in the offseason, McDaniel signed with the Boston Celtics prior to the 1992–93 season.

[17] On March 15, 1997, McDaniel led the Nets to a win, making 4 free-throws in the final 16 seconds of a 99–98 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

[18] During his last two years with the New Jersey Nets, McDaniel's numbers started to drop off and he ultimately decided to retire after the 1998 season.

[19] After retiring from professional basketball, McDaniel moved back to his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina to be closer and reconnect with his family.

One of the film's main characters, Steve Dunne (Campbell Scott), is having sex and begins fantasizing about a locker room interview with McDaniel in order to delay orgasm.

A year later McDaniel was featured on the sitcom Married... with Children in the episode "A Tisket, a Tasket, Can Peg Make a Basket?"

After retiring McDaniel appeared on Spike TV's televised slamball games where he coached the Riders squad in 2003.

[22] McDaniel's daughter, Xylina, a 6'2" forward, was one of 36 girls that were invited in June 2010 to participate in the United States Under-17 basketball team trials.

[24] His son, Xavier McDaniel Jr. won a state championship in 2015 for Hammond School, with former North Carolina guard Seventh Woods.