PROSPECT PROFILE:
Dyson Daniels
Overview
One thing’s for sure: the Cavaliers are an Australia-friendly franchise.
Of course, one of the greatest folk heroes in team history is the pugnacious guard from Down Under who helped Cleveland in the NBA title – Maryborough’s Matthew Dellavedova. The man he backed up (who also had a little bit to do with that Championship) – Kyrie Irving – was actually born in Melbourne and holds dual citizenship.
Dante Exum played parts of two seasons with the Wine & Gold and Andrew Bogut – the first Aussie ever drafted No. 1 overall – infamously suited up for less than a minute of action before his Cleveland career came to an end.
Heck, the Cavaliers even had an “Australia Night” back in 2016. (Delly finished with 18 points and seven assists.)
Josh Giddey was the highest-drafted Aussie last year at No. 6 overall to the Thunder and posted a solid rookie season as the only member of his class to tally at least 500 points, 400 rebounds, and 300 assists.
This year, that distinction will most certainly belong to 19-year-old guard Dyson Daniels, who was born in Bendigo, Victoria and spent last season with the G-League Ignite. Every year, the Draft has a “fast-riser” – and with less than two weeks remaining until this year’s, that player seems to be the Daniels.
The combo guard – who spent his younger years as a promising Aussie Rules footballer – has been on NBA scouts’ radar for some time and he’s done nothing to hurt his stock along the way. He even grew an inch from when the G-League season began – measuring in at 6’.7.5” at the Draft Combine in Chicago, where he also displayed his quickness, running the quickest shuttle time at 2.81 seconds.
Daniels – who’s also reportedly greatly impressed teams in the interview process – had a solid season, finishing with averages of 12.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.0 steals in 26 games with the Ignite.
In a loss to the Stockton Kings late in the season, Daniels finished with 21 points, 18 boards, eight assists and a pair of steals. He grabbed 13 more to go with 18 points in the previous outing and, overall, finished with three point-rebound double-doubles and two point-assist double-doubles on the season – stuffing the stat sheet on a nightly basis.
As last season wore on, Daniels – whose father, Ricky, played collegiately at North Carolina State – became the team’s primary playmaker and ball-handler, a role he handled with poise and unselfishness.
As previously stated, Daniels’ Draft stock has been steadily rising through the process and he’s hoping to crack the top 10 when Adam Silver takes the stage in Brooklyn. But if he’s still around when the Cavaliers hit the clock at No. 14, he could be wearing Wine & Gold by the end of the evening.
Strengths
There’s almost nothing not to like about Daniels, but for starters, teams love his size and length – measuring in at a solid 195-pound frame with a 6’10” wingspan. And at just 19 years of age, still has plenty of room to fill out.
Daniels’ offensive game is still progressing, and he’s effective both on and off the ball. As a primary playmaker, his size – nearly 6-8 – is particularly appealing at the next level. A terror in the open court, Daniels also has a mixed bag in the halfcourt. His jumper continued to get better as the season drew on, averaging 53 percent from long-range over his final six games.
| Wingspan | Body Fat | Hand Length | Hand Width | Height | Standing Reach |
| 6.10.5" | 4.9% | 8.5 | 9.75 | 6'7.5" | 6'8.5" |
His size, quickness and ball-handling skills allow him to get to the rim effectively and he’s an excellent finisher when he gets there. Daniels shot 74 percent from the stripe (as well as 45 percent from the floor, including 26 percent from deep) last year.
Daniels also projects as an outstanding defender at the pro level. He makes the most of his size and quickness and plays with an “urgency” on that end, using his great instincts to clog passing lanes and close out on shooters.
The youngster is also an excellent rebounder – averaging 7.1rpg on the season and grabbing at least eight boards in 12 of the 26 games he played last season.
Weaknesses
There aren’t many holes to Daniels’ overall game, and many of those can simply be attributed to his lack of experience at a higher level of hoops.
A solid ball-handler, Daniels has struggled against smaller guards and will need to improve at the NBA level, especially if he’s going to play on the ball for his future employer. He also doesn’t get to the line often for being so efficient in the half-court, attempting just 1.4 free throws last year.
He shot the ball well down the stretch in 2021-22, but critics will point to his 26 percent mark from long-range.
How He'd Fit
There aren’t too many backcourts in the NBA who couldn’t use a player like Daniels, who seems to be just scratching the surface of his potential. He has every tool that NBA teams covet – the size, the skill, the defensive will and the intangibles.
The young Aussie has history in Cleveland, winning the championship with Team Barry in the Rising Stars Game at All-Star Weekend alongside Evan Mobley and Isaac Okoro.
If Dyson Daniels lasts until the 14th pick on June 23, the Cavaliers will have to think long and hard about passing on the next chapter of Australian hoops history in Cleveland.