Dyson Daniels delivers defense and designs!
When you’re an Australian who just became the 10th NBA player ever to average at least three steals per game, the nickname is almost too obvious: the Great Barrier Thief.
“It’s got a little ring to it, and it’s a cool name,” Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels says of the nickname bestowed by ex-teammate Larry Nance Jr. “I’m glad it stuck.”
The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Daniels eighth overall in 2022 after he spent a year in the developmental G League. But he struggled for two seasons, and the Pelicans traded him to the Hawks in summer 2024.
He was a different player for Atlanta, starting in 76 games and dramatically increasing his points, rebounds, assists, steals and minutes per game. He was named the league’s Most Improved Player and finished second for Defensive Player of the Year.
“In New Orleans I was kind of hesitant to go out there, do things, make plays. I was trying to fit in a little too much,” Daniels says. “That’s not who I am.”
He gained confidence at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris by averaging more than 11 points and six rebounds per game in the group stage for Australia. With the wisdom of a 22-year-old, he also says that as a 19-year-old rookie half a world away from home, “I was really young.”
He was only 16 when he turned pro for his hometown Bendigo Braves, the team his father, Ricky, played for when he moved to Australia after college ball at North Carolina State.
Daniels’ older brother, Kai, played U.S. college basketball and is in the Australian Football League. His younger brother, Dash, is playing pro basketball in Australia and is considered a top prospect for the 2026 NBA Draft.
All of that athletic talent makes for intense home games, Daniels says. “Going against your brothers, you don’t want to lose, so they usually turn into fights in the back yard.”
He doesn’t battle with his Hawks backcourt mate, Trae Young. “He’s obviously a tremendous offensive player, so our games go hand in hand. He helps me on the offensive end, and I help him on the defensive end,” Daniels says. “I think our games will continue to grow together.” Daniels’ game is also growing off the court.
His first big purchase as a rookie was a diamond Cartier watch because “everyone loves their diamonds when they’re young,” he says. “As I’ve gotten a little older, I’m starting to get pieces that are growing in value.”
In 2024 he and childhood friend Macey Eaton launched the streetwear line Vouseti, a mix of French, Italian and English meaning “You and I.” This summer he and partners opened CourtSide in Port Melbourne, Australia, a basketball- and-retail complex that includes the first Vouseti store.
Back in Atlanta, he fends off homesickness with a “yummy cupboard” of Australian snacks, from chocolates for his sweet tooth to Vegemite spread. He’s grown comfortable enough to buy a house in Sandy Springs after getting hooked on golf while living near Buckhead’s Bobby Jones Golf Course.
He hopes his on-court comfort helps him win Defensive Player of the Year and the Hawks make a deep playoff run in the 2025-26 season. He’s bulking up his 6-foot- 7 frame to be a stronger offensive force against smaller guards, “getting more wiggle to my game, being able to create my own jump shot more.”
After defense got him to the NBA, Daniels says, “I’m just getting more eyes on me, and they’re seeing the capabilities that I have.”
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PHOTO: Erik Meadows
