Dyson Daniels has become a big name in the last few weeks leading up to the 2022 NBA draft. The 19-year-old became a popular topic after multiple NBA teams showed their interest in him before draft day. Read on to find out more about the young stars’ path to the NBA.
Dyson Daniels Quick Facts
Name: Dyson Daniels
Age: 19
DoB: 17 March 2003
Nationality: Australian
Height: 6 ft 6 in / 2.03m
Weight: 90kg
Instagram: @dysondanielss11 – 53.7k followers
Twitter: @dysondaniels – 6017 followers
Who Is Dyson Daniels?
Dyson Daniels is an Australian basketball player who was born in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia on 17th March 2003. He was drafted as the 8th pick in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft and was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans. The 6ft 8in point guard is most well-known for his athleticism and aggressive defence.
Dyson Daniels’ Rise to the NBA
Dyson Daniels began playing basketball at seven years old but also showed talent in the AFL. So much so, that he represented Victoria in several football championships before giving up to focus on basketball.
His first semi-professional gig came when he signed on for his father’s former team, the Bendigo Braves, for a season in 2019 at just 16 years old.
Dyson Daniels made his senior international debut for Australia during the FIBA Asia Cup qualification in February 2021.
He also helped the Victorian team win silver at Australia’s U20 Championships last May.
He had an unusual run to the NBA, turning down several different college programs and the NBL Next Stars program. He instead played for the NBA G League Ignite, a developmental team in the NBA G League, becoming the first Aussie to play for the Ignite.
Daniels’ two-year deal with the Pelicans made him the 10th Australian to be selected in the top 10 picks of the NBA draft. It also made him the 23rd Australian to be drafted into the NBA since 1969, joining the likes of Josh Giddey, Ben Simmons, and Andrew Bogut.
Dyson Daniels Stats
He averaged 12 points, 7 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Ignite, yet only played 26 G League games before the NBA draft.
Dyson Daniels Salary
While he’s only 19, Dyson is due to earn at least $5m USD ($7.2m AUD) in his first season with the Pelicans, with the chance to earn more in following seasons, which means he’s well and truly on his way to being a millionaire.
Dyson Daniels Family
Dyson comes from an athletic background, with his father Ricky playing college basketball for North Carolina State. Ricky then moved to Australia, where he played for the Bendigo Braves and was voted a two-time South East Australian Basketball League MVP, making such an impact in the league that his number (23) was retired by the team.
The basketball talent obviously runs in the family, with his older brother Kai currently playing college basketball for Regis University and his younger brother Dash named in the Victoria Country U16 team for the upcoming Australian U16 Nationals.