Just three weeks into his time with the Atlanta Hawks, Dyson Daniels is flourishing with expanded opportunities.
After his standout performance with the Boomers in the Olympics, the 21-year-old has emerged as Australia’s major NBA success story this season, following his trade from the New Orleans Pelicans last July.
In New Orleans, the former eighth overall pick faced inconsistent playing time due to a crowded and highly competitive rotation—arguably one of the deepest in the NBA.
While Daniels remained effective in short stints, he typically needed one or more Pelicans players to be sidelined to secure meaningful minutes.
Now, the defensive specialist is in a much better position to thrive under Quin Snyder’s leadership, where he’s making significant strides.
Daniels has earned a starting role in Atlanta’s lineup, creating an exciting backcourt duo and a natural fit alongside Trae Young.
The emerging Aussie’s defensive skills and length make an ideal complement to Young’s offensive firepower.
Standing at 6-foot-8, Daniels is an ideal fit for Atlanta’s athletic lineup, which includes talents like Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher. Few teams would offer a better environment for Daniels to develop, as the Hawks have started the season at a solid 4-5 despite injury setbacks.
Tasked with guarding the opposing team’s top offensive threat each game, Daniels has already taken on and disrupted stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson.
“He competes on the ball and is obviously a leader in deflections in the NBA. Every defender is different, but I like the way he competed,” Brunson told NBA Australia after Thursday’s matchup with Daniels.
Daniels not only excels defensively but fully embraces the role, expressing in the preseason that he’s eager to face the challenge of guarding the NBA’s elite players each night.
“This guy is made for the NBA, especially playing alongside a ball-dominant guard like Trae Young. He couldn’t be in a better spot,” NBA shooting coach Marc Campbell said of Daniels on the *Pick and Roll Podcast*.
“Everything he does well addresses exactly what they need to balance Trae Young. Plus, his offensive strengths are elevated by playing next to someone like Trae.
“I couldn’t be happier he moved from New Orleans, where he was a bit stuck… Now, he’s in a position with nothing but open road ahead, endless opportunity, and a skill set that fits perfectly. The team will absolutely appreciate the way he plays.
“He’s relentless, picking up players full court. Guarding him looks like a nightmare.
“He has a rare hunger… You can’t teach a player to care about defense like that. You can push them to care more, but you can’t make them care the way he does. He takes shutting down assignments personally. I’m all in on Dyson as a player and all in on the situation he’s found himself in.”
“Give me all the Dyson stock—I want to buy it all up, every last bit, and I’m holding onto it for the long haul.”
The numbers offer a glimpse into Daniels’ defensive impact, especially in his strongest area of contribution.
Three weeks into the season, Daniels leads the NBA in deflections, averaging 6.4 per game—over two more than the next player—and ranks second in steals with 2.2 per game.
According to BBall Index, Daniels ranks third in the league for defensive playmaking, trailing only Alex Caruso and Victor Wembanyama. Additionally, he’s on a streak of at least one steal in seven consecutive games, marking the second-longest such stretch of his career, per Hawks PR.
Daniels expressed an ambitious goal before the season: to make the All-Defensive First Team, a bold aim for such a young player.
But if Daniels can maintain this level of performance, he’s well on his way toward that All-Defensive goal, consistently proving to be a thorn in the side of some of the NBA’s top scorers.
No opponent—whether due to skill or size—or any defensive situation seems too challenging or overwhelming for him.
While the Hawks still have room to grow defensively as a team, Daniels is undoubtedly shaping their identity on that end. Atlanta has climbed from 16th last season to second in the league in steals per game this season, a boost that’s helping them push the tempo and score more easily in transition.
Brad Roland from *Locked on Hawks* called Daniels a defensive “wonder” after the Hawks’ recent win over the Pelicans, where Daniels made his return to New Orleans—and to the court—following a two-game absence with a hip injury.
“It’s a reminder to Hawks fans who are worried about the defense: they’ve been better whenever they’ve had a more consistent rotation, and that includes Dyson,” he said.
“When they have at least one lockdown defender—like Dyson—they’re solid defensively. They might not be elite, but he makes a massive impact and is their most important player on that end of the floor.
“He looked great in his return.”
Offensively, Daniels has made notable strides as well.
He’s averaging career highs in points (11.6), field goal percentage (45.5%), and 3-pointers made (1.1), with Snyder giving him more playing time—an average of 30 minutes per game—allowing him to showcase his offensive skills.
This includes a career-high 18 points in a game against the Charlotte Hornets, and Daniels has already surpassed his total from last season for games with 15+ points, having posted three such performances in just seven games, compared to only two last year.
A great cutter who knows exactly when to make his move, often a step ahead of defenders, Daniels’ timing may be his best offensive trait. Additionally, he’s a strong finisher at the rim and is playing with increasing confidence.
While Daniels’ improved 3-point shooting still needs refinement, his offensive game is clearly thriving alongside Young, who draws so much defensive attention and can make defenses collapse in this Hawks system.
Even though Daniels may not be as naturally gifted offensively as he is defensively, he’s showing clear signs of growth, which is exactly what you want to see from a young player with many years ahead of him.
His offensive struggles were most evident in Atlanta’s win over New York, where he scored just six points on a rough 3-of-16 shooting performance, including missing all four of his 3-point attempts.
“There were moments in this game where the less polished side of Dyson’s game showed up. Even with his elite defense, his offense was a problem at times,” said Locked on Hawks’ Roland post-game.
To be fair, Daniels sometimes plays alongside Clint Capela, which can limit the spacing due to a lack of shooting, but there were too many instances where he seemed uncertain as an offensive player.
“Daniels just didn’t have a clear go-to move—he was short on floaters, a bit too eager with his shots, and not fully comfortable,” Roland said. “I’m not sure if he was overzealous or underconfident, but whatever it was, his offense just didn’t look good. I have no issue with him taking 16 shots, but it was not a great offensive game for Dyson—that’s fair to point out.”
Overall, Daniels is providing solid production through seven games, averaging 11.6 points on 45.5% shooting, 1.1 three-pointers, 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.4 steals, and 0.7 blocks.
The former No. 8 pick is emerging as a crucial piece for the Hawks and a genuine defensive weapon causing real problems for NBA teams.
It’s still early in the season, but there’s a lot to like about this young player, with what’s shaping up to be a breakout campaign. More importantly, he’s only 21, and his career trajectory is looking very bright.
The Hawks are likely pleased with how the trade has turned out, with the Aussie now donning their colors.
“(The trade) was unexpected. I came into the league here, and this was home for me,” Daniels said after returning to New Orleans.
“They drafted me. They believed in me. Everyone was great to me. But this is a business; these things happen. So you’ve got to move on from it. I’m happy to be in Atlanta. I’m enjoying my opportunity there.”
