Prospect Spotlight: Dyson Daniels

[Jamaaliver]

I'm starting to single out Daniels.

Same, especially after he referenced Alex Caruso as the player he models his game on. I think it's a great sign he understands his projectable skills.

Dyson Daniels

Australian playmaker taking advantage of the G League route by showcasing his trustworthy facilitating and lockdown defense

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Height: 6'6"
Weight: 199
Age: 19.2
Shades of Derrick White, Kyle Anderson, Evan Turner

PLUSES

• Doesn’t need plays run for him to make an impact. He’s an aware cutter and offensive rebounder. He’s good at reading mismatches and makes smart improvisational plays. He can score and facilitate from inside with the size to back down or shoot a turnaround jumper over smaller players. If he starts hitting spot-up 3s, he’ll have all the skills he needs to thrive.
• Much like fellow Australian Josh Giddey, Daniels’s passing is his real appeal. He’s such an advanced pick-and-roll artist that he’s already able to draw in defenders with the threat of his floater and pull-up, only to throw a jump pass to his rolling big man. He just executes at a high level. When a shooter comes off a screen, he puts the ball right in their pocket. If a play is called for a lob, he makes it easy for the guy leaping to the basket. There’s no pass that he can’t make.
• Coordinated ball handler who plays at his own pace. He has clean footwork on spins and he can glide into runners. Though he isn’t especially explosive, he knows how to use his skills to his advantage with angles and touch.
• Excellent defender with the versatility to defend guards and wings. His intelligence translates on this end with the way he positions himself and sticks to his man. But he’s not just a basketball nerd who studies hard—he plays his ass off and sets the tone for his teammates. Fans will love this guy immediately.

MINUSES

• Subpar shooter who made only 29.9 percent of his 3s and 53.3 percent of his free throws. He has touch on floaters and layups but it hasn’t translated to the perimeter. When he shoots, he looks like a chair unfolding. Improving his shot, whether that requires changing his form or not, should be his first priority. With a more reliable jumper, his play would evoke shades of Tyrese Haliburton.
• He’s a slower-footed shot creator who needs to tighten his handle to have the same type of success generating space at the next level. Kyle Anderson went through the same adjustment as a rookie in the NBA and now he's in his eighth season.
• Since he isn’t explosive, he tends to attempt a lot of difficult layups. It works for him in the G League, but scoring against NBA length will be a whole different challenge.

11.3PPG 4.4APG .540TS% 3P% 25.5 on 51 3PA FT% 73.7

The Ringer

[CP War Hawks]

That wingspan is too mid for my liking. From his physical, mindset, and skill set profile he screams Jimmy Butler. I need the combine to confirm measurables before these guys get ranked properly.

[raleigh]

That wingspan is too mid for my liking.

I hear Ike Diogu is still available.

[CP War Hawks]

That wingspan is too mid for my liking.

I hear Ike Diogu is still available.

One of those that take a quote but not the entire statement types. Diogu wasn't a bad prospect at all, just zero bbiq. There is direct correlation with length and elite defense.

[Jamaaliver]

A 6'8" swingman with elite passing, defense and ballhandling?

I'd support that.

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[Jamaaliver]

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[CP War Hawks]

I need receipts on the growth spurt, he'd best not skip the combine... He's a no brainer even if he measures 6-6 w/o shoes and 6-10 ws.

Given he likely played a physical Australian sport as a jit, I stand on my comp to Butler. We need some toughness on this team whatever position.

[Jamaaliver]

I have really come around on this guy. He's a stat sheet filler and a two way k!ller.

Since he's already spent a year in the G-League, do we believe he could be a rotation guy at some point next season?

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[Jamaaliver]

Ranking the Top 15 Guards in the 2022 NBA Draft

5. Dyson Daniels (G League Ignite, PG/SG, 2003)

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Signatures: Two-way versatility, defensive playmaking

Archetype/projected role: Connector/Swiss Army knife/high-end role player

While there isn't a signature skill or trait that hints at Dyson Daniels having star-guard potential, his positional tools, versatility and mature approach make it easy to picture an NBA fit and valued role player.

He operated as a 6'8" jack-of-all-trades in Ignite's backcourt, showing strong passing IQ for playmaking (4.7 assists while splitting point guard reps), athleticism and body control for attacking and paint touch to score off drives and miscellaneous finishes. He loves the short, over-the-shoulder hook shot where he uses his body to shield off his man.

NBA coaches won't worry about what position he plays. They'll use him in a connector role between creators and shot-makers to move the ball, make good decisions and capitalize when the defense gives up an open look or lane.

Daniels fits the mold of non-label, impact glue guards/wings like Alex Caruso, Isaac Okoro, Marcus Smart, Ayo Dosunmu, De'Anthony Melton or Donte DiVincenzo.

Defense is a key plus on Daniels' scouting report as well, particularly after his growth spurt. He did an effective job staying attached, navigating through screens and reacting with speed to make plays on the ball (2.0 steals, 0.7 blocks per game).

He didn't shoot well overall in the G League, finishing 30-of-100 from three and a head-scratching 53.3 percent from the line. Daniels also doesn't project as an isolation scorer, as he relies on drives, open floor and some back-to-the-basket stuff.

But he did look more comfortable from three in February and March, having hit 13 of his last 28 attempts. And last summer, he made 13 threes in seven U19 World Cup games. There does seem to be key some shot-making potential, which could ultimately unlock enough versatility for Daniels to develop into a long-term NBA starter.

Bleacher Report

[Jamaaliver]

Now that he's been measured at 6' 8", he's moved up draft boards from a fringe lottery pick to a likely top-10 selection.

Dyson Daniels, G/F, G League Ignite

Height: 6' 6" | Weight: 200 | Age: 19 | Last rank: 8

Daniels boasts one of the most versatile skill sets in the draft and should enter the NBA well-prepared to play a role immediately. While not flashy or a big-time scorer, he specializes in a valuable combination of things that impact winning, made more impressive by the fact he recently turned 19. He’s an excellent passer, rebounder and team defender who can play point guard, but will benefit from a more secondary playmaking role in the NBA. He has the size and smarts to defend a range of positions, and his offensive value will stem from his understanding of how to move the ball, pick his spots and make teammates better. Daniels has to keep working on his jumper, but it’s not broken. Simply hitting open threes consistently will open up a lot for him. There are a lot of pathways for him to be successful in the long run: there aren’t many players at any level who can plausibly spend time at four positions on either side of the ball.

Sports Illustrated Big Board

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

The kid might be rising too high for us to have a shot at him...even with a trade up.

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[Jamaaliver]

This is encouraging:

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[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

Adding a player like this solves our two biggest issues, it provides top level perimter defense while adding secondary playmaking to the court.

Players who could sneak into the top-5 of the 2022 NBA draft

Dyson Daniels | G League Ignite | Top 100 rank: No. 6

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Daniels' growth throughout the season has been spectacular to see. It's difficult to put a cap on how high his upside might ultimately be, which is why every team picking in the top five will need to give him a long look to ensure it isn't passing on a potential All-Star.

Daniels' defense will get him on the court early in his NBA career and will likely become his calling card. He brings a rare combination of discipline, awareness and intensity on and off the ball that you rarely see from 19-year-olds, consistently fighting over screens, denying off the ball and mirroring smaller players with quick hip turns and excellent feet. Even though his frame is still evolving -- not a surprise considering he played most of the G League season as an 18-year-old, he regularly put the clamps on players much older and more physical than him, while often getting in passing lanes for steals or rotating from the weak side for blocks.

While his jumper progresses, particularly in terms of the speed of his release, Daniels' passing will make it hard for coaches to keep him off the floor. He grew up playing point guard and that's evident in the way he passes the ball off a live dribble and pushes ahead in transition unselfishly. He's not a high-level shot creator at this stage but has a lot of the same tricks similar players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton did at the same stage with the way they manipulate defenses with savvy and pace, seeing over the top of defenses thanks to their excellent size.

While Daniels' numbers don't jump off the page and there are some things to question regarding his at-times-robotic style of play and lack of shiftiness with the ball, this type of multipositional wing who can slide between point guard and power forward seamlessly, and is brimming with versatility and basketball instincts, is very difficult to come by in today's NBA.

Daniels is often compared to Pacers PG Tyrese Haliburton, but the fact that Daniels is 10 pounds stronger and nearly 3 inches taller would also allow him to see time alongside the likes of DeAaron Fox Trae Young, especially as his jumper improves. A backcourt of [Young] and Daniels could complement each other extremely well, allowing [Young] to defend the easier of the guard matchups while being allowed to focus heavily on what he does best -- score and facilitate.

ESPN Insider

[Jamaaliver]

Dyson Daniels surging into top-8 of the draft

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Teams are under the impression that the Daniels buzz is real. His draft ceiling has been said to have risen into the Nos. 4-8 range after he measured like a wing (6'7½" in shoes), recorded the combine's fastest shuttle run, put on a convincing shooting clinic at his pro day and impressed in interviews. The fact that he's so versatile and interchangeable between positions 1-4 also eliminates fit concerns with most teams.

Bleacher Report

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

Pro Comparisons for 2022 NBA Draftees

Dyson Daniels (G League Ignite, PG/SG, 2003)



NBA comparison: Lonzo Ball/Marcus Smart

Dyson Daniels is closer in height to Lonzo Ball, but his game is more similar to Marcus Smart's.

Daniels and Smart aren't pure point guards or traditional 2-guards. Neither should they be labeled a scorer or lead playmaker. They can be used at practically any position and valued for their ability to handle, pass, make shots and play tough defense.

Similar to Ball and Smart, Daniels isn't an explosive athlete. But all three use their physical tools and IQ at both ends. These are versatility specialists who can be used on and off the ball.

Daniels needs to improve his shooting, but based on his made threes rather than his percentages, the 19-year-old can reach Smart's threat level (career 1.5 3PTM per game).

Bleacher Report

[Jamaaliver]

Most-ideal prospects for Atlanta to consider

Dyson Daniels, 6-6, G, G League Ignite, 19 years old

Daniels is unlikely to be on the board at No. 16, but if the Hawks do trade up to potentially No. 7 in a deal with Portland (and discussions have occurred, according to sources), he should be Atlanta’s pick if he’s available. The Hawks need more perimeter defenders, and he’s arguably the best one in the draft. Additionally, Daniels’ ability to be a playmaker with a point guard’s handle should be intriguing to Atlanta.

Daniels isn’t the perfect prospect — he shot 25.5 percent on 3s and 73.7 percent on his free throws, and he isn’t too explosive of an athlete. The Hawks should be looking to find players who fit long term with Young, and there may not be a better option than Daniels. He’s long, a great passer and has positional versatility defensively. That’s what the Hawks need more of.

The Athletic

[Jamaaliver]

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