High School Seems Like Appropriate Place for Him

Daniel Gilchrist, 18, a senior at Topeka (Kan.) High, stands 7 feet 5 and weighs 330 pounds. Yes, he plays basketball, but he’s only a reserve, averaging 6.8 points a game.

Because of his size, he has his critics and he responded to Shandel Richardson of the Kansas City Star: “I wish people would spend a day being my height and weighing as much as I do. Then maybe they would understand. Then I don’t think they would criticize me.”

Says Richardson: “Squeezing into cars is one of his many daily obstacles that are routine for most people. He ducks through every doorway. He sleeps on an 8-foot bed. . . . Last summer, his parents hired a plumber to raise the shower head, sink and mirror in the bathroom.”

Such is the life of the young giant, who is stared at everywhere he goes.

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Trivia time: Who holds the Pacific 10 Conference record for the highest career three-point field-goal percentage?

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It’s not Broadway: King star Chris Webber has been noncommittal whether he’ll stay in Sacramento after this season or leave as a free agent. But here’s a clue:

He told ESPN the Magazine: “I’m bored to death here every day.”

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Soft drink stand-off: Ron Rapoport in the Chicago Sun-Times: “Have a couple of beers and come up with the solution: With the NBA All-Star game coming up this weekend in Washington, the Rocky Mountain News wonders about Denver’s chances of hosting the game in future years.

“Coke is a major NBA sponsor, while the Nuggets play at the Pepsi Center.”

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More Rapoport: “I’m intrigued by this new marketing alliance between the New York Yankees and Manchester United. For one promotion, how about locking their fans in a cage and seeing which ones come out alive?”

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Uncomfortable: Mark Madsen, the current Laker and former Stanford star, lives in Westwood but perhaps not for long. “After what UCLA did to Stanford the other night,” he said, “I think I might move out.”

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His own spin: Wrestler Mick Foley to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on charges the World Wrestling Federation telecasts are too violent and suggestive:

“If you take a liberal interpretation of what is violent, I could tell you that ‘Hansel and Gretl’ is a story of child neglect, child abandonment, kidnapping, murder and cannibalism.”

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Dream on: John McEnroe turns 42 next week and would love to play Davis Cup doubles. But he admits it would be awkward now that his brother, Patrick, is team captain.

“But if he wanted me to be there, I would be there,” McEnroe said. “It would be great to be the George Foreman of tennis and come back into Davis Cup. I dream of participating again.”

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Different strokes: From comedy writer Earl Hochman: “According to GolfWorld magazine, Tiger Woods will earn $56.4 million this year--almost as much as two IOC members who face expulsion made from their corruption, embezzlement and arms distribution activities.”

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Double hit: David Letterman on the XFL: “If I want to watch pretend football, I’ll watch the Jets.”

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Trivia answer: Todd Lichti of Stanford, 47.7%, 1986-1989.

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And finally: Ken Denlinger in the Washington Post: “Red Auerbach is absolutely certain that he could take a collection of all-stars from his era and beat the Magic Johnson-Larry Bird-Michael Jordan Dream Team of 1992.

“Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would be the centers. The forwards: Bob Pettit, Elgin Baylor, Julius Erving and Dolph Schayes. The guards: Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Bob Cousy. Swingman John Havlicek would be prominent, of course.

“ ‘If anyone could guard Michael,’ Auerbach said. ‘He could.’ ”