G League Ignite standout Dyson Daniels is heading to the New Orleans Pelicans. They chose him with the No. 8 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, adding a very intriguing prospect to their roster.
The New Orleans Pelicans have selected Dyson Daniels with the eighth pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. 🎭 pic.twitter.com/4xeKqMIH7m
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 24, 2022
Daniels, a 6-foot-8 guard from Australia, is one of the more unique prospects in this year's draft. He played at the NBA Global Academy and orchestrated multiple impressive games on the FIBA circuit. He also made an appearance in the NBA Rising Stars Game, where he recorded four points and two assists for Team Barry.
During the showcase portion of the G League Ignite season, Daniels averaged 11.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.9 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. He shot 44.9 percent from the field, 25.5 percent from deep and 73.7 percent from the free-throw line.
Daniels plays the guard spot because of his tremendous playmaking abilities. Like fellow tall Australian guard Josh Giddey, he mixes creativity with effectiveness as he finds his teammates in open spots. He knows how to get defenders to let their guard down and blow by them to the rim. Although he is not a super explosive athlete, he shows tremendous dexterity and strength when putting up shots in the paint.
Dyson Daniels is a really effective driver with a fascinating floater. Nothing overly flashy but good touch, uses his length for extension finishes, will initiate contact, and his size makes straight-line drives more feasible. pic.twitter.com/TE1PZIMaNg
— Tyler Metcalf (@tmetcalf11) June 17, 2022
Although Daniels should be able to impact the game in many ways at the next level, he has to improve as a scorer to become a star. His shooting, in particular, needs work. Still, the versatile guard can emerge as a vital player for a Pelicans offense led by Brandon Ingram, as he has what it takes to provide a key scoring spark for head coach Willie Green in the upcoming season.
Daniels is the second class of G League Ignite players to enter the NBA Draft, along with Jaden Hardy and MarJon Beauchamp, who will likely be drafted later in the first round. They will follow the footsteps of Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, and Isaiah Todd, each of whom was drafted last year after spending a season with Ignite.
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