Dash Daniels on Choosing the Next Stars Route, Lessons From His Brother, and More

Dash Daniels’ older brother Dyson has bloomed in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks this season, right as Dash has made key decisions for his own career. He talked to NBA Draft on SI about his decision-making process, what it takes, and more.

Dash Daniels / Photo Credit: NBL

At this point, pretty much every basketball fan knows Dyson Daniels. The lanky and athletic Australian wing is in the midst of a breakout season with the Atlanta Hawks after arriving from the New Orleans Pelicans in a trade this past offseason. While Dyson thrives, his younger brother Dash has been making a name for himself in Australia’s youth ranks and recently, decided to spend his pre-draft years as a Next Star with Melbourne United. Dash chose the Next Stars over other opportunities overseas, as well as waiting for potentially lucrative collegiate offers. 

“To play at a pro level a year earlier than I would be able to at the college standpoint because just being able to play against grown men and big guys, they've been doing it for 10 to 20 years. They know the game very well, and I'm thinking all these little things, it's only going to help me in my career,” Dash told NBA Draft on SI. 

The decision-making process as a prospect has changed drastically in the last few years alone. Dash’s brother, Dyson, played with the G League Ignite before entering the NBA Draft. That program is now defunct, as college basketball’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) offers somewhat rendered the program in terms of what it made available to NBA Draft prospects. Still, potential draftees are heavily pursued by NIL offers, European teams, and of course, the Australian NBL’s Next Stars program. While the number of options available to players is a benefit, it is far more complex than it used to be. 

“These days, it is overwhelming,” Dash said. “I've talked to a couple of colleges and stuff. And in the end, NBL came out on top for me. And money is a big thing now. So a lot of players are trying to chase that. And I just went to the place that I thought was best for me.” 

Choosing the Next Stars program accelerates things for Dash. While many players his age will continue high school and amateur careers against players largely the same age as them, Dash will be making the leap into a professional squad, with seasoned veterans, which poses a new set of challenges. 

“I'd say it's a lot more physical,” Dash said. “That's the main change, is the physicality of even the guards and all the bigs and screens. You need to get in the weight room and learn how to get around them. It's been a big change, but I’m learning and trying to better myself and get around those screens and challenges.”

Having an older brother who went through this process recently was helpful to Dash. He consulted Dyson and sought his counsel on what elements should guide this critical decision for his career. 

“I talked to him a little bit,” Dash told NBA Draft on SI. “He basically just told me to ‘go wherever you feel comfortable is really where you want to go and start playing.’ And Melbourne [United] was great to me when I came and had my visit here.”

Dash has learned from his brother's career as well. After being selected eighth overall by the New Orleans Pelicans in 2022, Dyson’s career sputtered out of the gate. Playing time was inconsistent, but fellow young teammates Trey Murphy and Herb Jones thrived alongside veterans such as Brandon Ingram and others who played the same position as Dyson. It was hard to find a trusted spot in the rotation, and soon, he was traded elsewhere. This experience, while difficult for Dyson, is something Dash was able to learn from. 

Trusting your work and being confident in yourself are the key things Dash said he learned from his older brother.

“When you come into a new team, you’ve got to be confident and, you know, trust your work and hopefully, straight away, make an impact," he recollected.

Dash is working to carry that advice into his time with his new squad, Melbourne United. Melbourne boasts a number of key Australian veterans such as Matthew Dellavedova and Chris Goulding. Already, Dash is learning from them. 

“It’s a dream come true to play with these guys,” Dash said. “Just in training, being able to watch them and their professionalism and how they go about things is the main key part for me. Seeing Chris after every training, and he's putting up hundreds of shots, and just seeing his dedication to basketball, even after the 15 years he's been playing it's been a huge thing for me to watch. The dedication these guys put into the sport and being that age and stuff, you know, they could slow down, but they really just stick to their work and keep going.”

Working alongside leaders like Dellavedova and Goulding, Dash hopes to carve out a supportive role for the two of them early on. Having only recently turned 18, he’s already got his sights set on how he can help Melbourne United compete next season. 

“Being able to disrupt players,” Dash said. “And when I guard the ball, I can really get around screens and use my hands to get deflections and all these little things, and just being able to stay in front of the ball has been my main part. And then being able to just have a quick first step on offense, being able to get around the defense and use that to my full potential. That's the two main things.”

Dash brings off-the-court value too, something he cites about him that doesn’t show up in box scores yet but contributes to being a winning team and successful organization. 

“I'm a good teammate, someone that people like to be around,” the rising prospect said. “Helping impact players and teammates on the court and then off the court by being a good person and being a guy that, as I said, people want to be around.”  

Although Dash is ready to compete and prepared to step on the court and help Melbourne United — last season's NBL runner-ups — potentially win a championship. He knows he has room to grow as a player, and is already hard at work. 

“The big part of where I’m playing now, you got to be able to shoot the ball to play,” Dash told NBA Draft on SI. “I'm just trying to become more consistent coming off screens, shooting the three ball, getting to my mid-range, getting to floaters, and getting to the line. My all-around shooting game is the main focus for me right now.”

While Dash works on his shooting, and makes sure he has plenty to offer Melbourne on the offensive side of the ball alongside his defensive expertise at a young age, he shared that he also currently takes joy in watching two-way players in the NBA, such as Anthony Edwards and Jrue Holiday. In his preparation for the NBA, he has, of course, played his brother one-on-one a few times, but it’s been some time since he last beat him. 

“It's been a while since the last time I beat him,” Dash said. “I probably got away with some lucky shots three years ago, four years ago.” 

Dash is ready to help Melbourne United compete for championships, excited about the challenge of facing professionals at a young age, and also doing everything he can to prepare for the NBA Draft. He has learned a lot from his older brother and if he plays his cards right, he’s optimistic he’ll be able to make an impact out of the gate in the NBA and by trusting his work, forge a home even earlier in his career than Dyson did.  

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