Opinion
Aussie basketball fans have never had it better.
Patty Mills is shooting over 41 per cent on triples this season, making him one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA.
Matisse Thybulle’s lockdown defence has given him a starter’s role on the Philadelphia 76ers and Josh Giddey announced himself to the NBA world at Madison Square with a spectacular triple-double against the Knicks.
Australian players are making some serious noise in the world’s premier basketball league, building on the momentum gained by winning bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.
That is not even including the impact that Ben Simmons’ return could have with Kevin Durant and Patty Mills on Brooklyn’s super team, as the former number one draft pick rebuilds his career after forcing a trade from the 76ers.
Yet none of them may be the best Australian talent in American basketball at the moment. That may well be Dyson Daniels, an 18-year-old from Bendigo, Victoria, who has just been selected as a Rising Star alongside Giddey at the NBA All-Star weekend in Cleveland in the coming days.
Dyson Daniels is one of Australian basketball’s rising stars. (Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)
So, who is he? What is a rising star? And why has he been touted as one of Australia’s best ever basketball prospects?
Daniels plays for the G League Ignite team, a development team created by the NBA in their second-tier league, as an alternative pathway for players who choose not to play college basketball.
Last year, two of their alumni – Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga – were selected in the top seven of the NBA draft, while another – Isaiah Todd – was selected as the first pick in the second round.
That’s a big deal. Most colleges are lucky to have one or two of their squad get drafted, let alone three players.
It’s becoming one of the best pathways for players to gain match experience against seasoned pros, and subsequently enter the main league.
At six foot six, with a six foot nine wingspan, Daniels is a big guard, allowing him to run the floor and see over the top of opposing defences in the half-court.
His signature move, a floater, coupled with his size, handle and vision, enable him to be a dynamic offensive presence.
However, at least this far into his career, Daniels is known more for his tough lockdown defence, using his length and wingspan to average two steals per game in the G League.
While having room to improve as a three-point shooter (averaging 25 per cent on 3.6 attempts per game), his free-throw percentage of 74 per cent shows his potential to be a reliable scorer in the NBA.
(Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
A projected first-round lottery pick in the upcoming NBA draft, Daniels alongside Giddey has just been selected as an NBA rising star: an exhibition game held on the Friday before All-Star weekend.
The game is predominantly made up of first- and second-year NBA stars, including previous number one picks Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham, alongside Giddey.
The pair join Andrew Bogut, Dante Exum, Matthew Dellavedova and Ben Simmons as the only Australians ever to have been named in the game. Daniels joins three other members in the Ignite squad who make up the 28 players in total competing.
While the game is usually just a traditional exhibition match, this year the format has been split into three separate games, with four different teams playing off for a spot in the final.
The 28 players have been drafted into these four teams, each coached by a former NBA great. The teams will play without quarters or a time limit. Instead, it will be the first one to score 75 points, a commemoration of the NBA’s 75th anniversary.
In the semi-final, the teams will first play to 50 points, and the first team to get to 50 points in each of the two matches will play for the final 25 points in the final.
Sound confused? Don’t worry, we all are.
Nevertheless, it is a unique opportunity for Daniels to further promote his image as one of the brightest talents in next year’s draft.
On centre stage with some of the NBA’s best young players, Daniels can show off the skills that have made so many franchises enchanted with drafting him.
Look out for Daniels in the game at 1:00pm (AEDT) on Saturday, February 19.
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