Dyson Daniels is Ready for Pelicans Opening Night in Brooklyn
The New Orleans Pelicans might be playing with loaded dice. No, not that kind, and not in a cheating way, but with the 8th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. There seems to be no doubt that Dyson Daniels will be ready to contribute on Day One of the season when the team hits the road to face the Brooklyn Nets.
Coach Willie Green said Daniels "is just getting in there and playing hard first and foremost. He is competing, he's mature for 19. He has a maturity level on the floor when he gets (the ball), and he is making good decisions for the most part. He's another guy that just gets after it at practice. He works extremely hard. He has earned some minutes during the preseason."
Daniels has averaged 18.5 minutes per game during the preseason. He posted averages of 7.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block per game. It's not going to win him rookie of the year votes but being a solid contributor on a playoff squad will get Daniels noticed for All-Rookie First-Team honors.
Brandon Ingram found out, "Dyson got some heart" watching those two big blocks from the rookie. "You know, you see a guy going up for a dunk, you usually see guys moving out the way. (Daniels) looked like he wanted to attack it before he even went up. I'm proud of him for that."
Ingram wasn't the only one. Watch the bench celebrate their teammate. Sitting a few feet away, there were a few compliments that cannot be repeated in a family setting.
Daniels does need to work on his shot to be assured of consistent playing time behind CJ McCollum, Devonte' Graham, and Jose Alvarado. The Australian has made only 18% of his shots from behind the arc as a Pelican. Hitting only 70% of his free throws is a number bound to improve with some more weight training and work with Fred Vinson.
As far as the rest of the 2022 8th overall pick's game, Ingram said, "He's steady. He's grounded to be so young. He's a step ahead. He knows the next pass to make. He knows what lane to attack and he is getting more confident in his shot. On the defensive end he is really good at staying in front and anticipating things. He has made a bring impression on me since training camp just in how smart he is."
Dyson Daniels has all the intangibles that cannot be taught. He has the mindset of a professional, which makes sense given his father's career and the fostering of Dyson's multisport potential from an early age. Younger brothers Dash and Kai are also on draft radars. Dyson might have taken an alternate route to the NBA but now that he is here, there are no doubts he is ready to take the next step.
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