Dyson Daniels Scouting Report: Stats, NBA Draft Ranking, Highlights, Comparison

Dyson Daniels is our first and highest-ranked prospect coming from the uber-talented G-League Ignite squad that features several players who will hear their names called on the night of the NBA Draft. Daniels posted impressive stats in his Ignite season, averaging 11.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists on nearly 45% shooting from the field. Daniels resembles Josh Giddey, another 6-foot-8 Australian guard with a high basketball IQ and smooth game. Check out the whole scouting report below, including measurements, strengths, and weaknesses, to see where you think Daniels should be selected in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Dyson Daniels Scouting Report

Dyson Daniels has maturity and poise far beyond his years. At just 19 years old, Daniels displayed a polished all-around game against G-League talent and has grown to 6-foot-8. It was just a few years ago when Daniels was between 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-5; it’s safe to say that things have changed. Daniels also has a plus wingspan, which makes him a scary defensive prospect, especially considering he already has the IQ and lateral quickness. He tested incredibly well in the shuttle run, which does say a lot about his lateral quickness and agility.

Age: 19
Height: 6’7.5”
Weight: 195.2 lbs
Wingspan: 6’10.5”
Position: Guard/Forward
College: G-League Ignite

Strengths: Dyson Daniels is one of the best defensive prospects in this year’s draft, and that is far from all that he can do. His combination of lateral quickness, height, wingspan, anticipation, and defensive IQ make him a surefire lottery pick as he holds the potential of eventually guarding 1-4. Daniels has displayed tremendous passing and playmaking abilities against high-level talent on the offensive end. His rebounding IQ is another underrated aspect of his game; he will instantly make the team he goes to a better rebounding and defensive team while contributing a lot on the offensive end.

Weaknesses: Daniels did not shoot it well from deep for the Ignite squad, finishing at just 25% from behind the arc. Luckily, Daniels does have projectable shooting mechanics. I’m a long-term believer in his jump shot, but that does pose as his biggest weakness. Another weakness is his general lack of explosiveness. Again, Daniels knows how to work around that with an elite change of speed and usage of angles, so it is all relative.

Dyson Daniels Stats

Dyson Daniels NBA Draft Ranking, Team Fit, Landing Spot

Draft Ranking: 9

Team Fit: I would love to see Dyson Daniels go to a team like the New Orleans Pelicans. They are seemingly one or two pieces away from being a contender in the Western Conference (assuming that Zion Williamson returns to full strength and wants to continue playing for the Pels.) The Pels are somewhat positionless as C.J. McCollum often plays the point for them, even though he’s better as a two-guard. Daniels fits into that mold very well and can take some lead guard duties. New Orleans also has a high-level defender in Herb Jones and can add to that and create a team identity by selecting Daniels.

Landing Spot: Daniels has skyrocketed up draft boards in the past few months, and I’ve heard of him going as high as fourth and as low as eighth. There is a small likelihood that he drops past that, but he’s going in the top eight picks come draft night in most scenarios.

Dyson Daniels NBA Comparison: Josh Giddey

It all feels a bit too easy, right? Josh Giddey was another player who skyrocketed on boards leading up to draft night and was selected even higher than expected. Daniels seems to be trending in the same direction as Giddey just a few weeks before the 2022 NBA Draft. Additionally, Daniels and Giddey play a very similar brand of basketball; neither is highly explosive but instead utilizes angles and change of speed to throw defenders off rhythm. They also are similarly sized at 6-foot-8 and play similar positions: point guard and forward, if necessary. Both players have struggled at times shooting from deep, but that limitation does not determine their impact on the game. They each have an elite basketball IQ and feel for the game, and the speed of the NBA certainly does not bother them. It should go without saying, but one of their best assets as basketball players is their playmaking and passing, leading to a high offensive usage and seemingly inevitable success for Daniels.

Dyson Daniels Highlights

Embedded below is a highlight reel of Dyson Daniels that covers his game in great detail. You will be able to see his strengths and weaknesses as a player and what makes him unique beyond just his 6-foot-8 frame for a guard. At the next level, Daniels’ ability to be a playmaker for himself and others could lead to him being one of the most successful players in this draft. However, like most prospects, there are some question marks surrounding his overall explosiveness and three-point shooting.

https://youtu.be/mM9lXPGHoXQ