Australian teenager Dyson Daniels is firming as a potential top-10 pick on this week’s NBA Draft and says he is able to make an instantaneous influence.
Together with his playmaking and defensive expertise, the 19-year-old guard from Bendigo stormed into NBA calculations throughout his lone season with G-League growth group Ignite after graduating from Canberra’s NBA Academy.
Invited amongst a choose few to attend the Draft operate in New York on Friday (AEDT), Daniels has gained traction with analysts after impressing within the draft mix and through work-outs with seven totally different franchises.
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“There are so many roles I can play in a team,” Daniels stated.
“My best NBA-ready skill is my defence and being able to step on the floor and guard the best player, use my size, my lateral quickness to be able to cause trouble for players.
“I can undoubtedly step on the ground and influence right away.
“Whatever a team needs – whether it be a point guard or a backup, playing off the ball – I feel like there is no real weakness where you can say ‘put him here and he won’t be as good’.”
Plucking an Australian from the pile ought to maintain no worry for aspirational NBA groups after Josh Giddey was taken by Oklahoma Metropolis with the sixth pick final yr.
He broke data because the youngest man to notch an NBA triple-double and is now the intense younger hope of the rebuilding franchise, whereas Josh Inexperienced (No.18 in 2020) has turn into a chunk of the Dallas Mavericks’ primary rotation.
Ben Simmons (No.1 in 2016) and Dante Exum (No.5 in 2014) adopted Andrew Bogut’s (No.1 in 2004) lead.
Daniels, a 203cm guard, has been wined and dined by NBA executives within the lead-up to the draft and understands what he is on the cusp of.
“I’m sure it’s going to be a big step up; the pace is going to be up and down, big crowds, I’m just looking forward to everything about the NBA game,” he stated.
“It was my dream to play in the NBA and I’m right there on the doorstep now so I’m taking it all in.”
