Dyson Daniels and Josh Giddey Are Living Out a Childhood Dream
The Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans are facing off in the NBA Playoffs, with plenty of storylines to follow, Dyson Daniels and Josh Giddey are living out a childhood dream.
If you drive around any neighborhood in Oklahoma right now as the weather turns, there is a good chance you will see school-aged children pounding a basketball into the pavement trying to recreate the moves they saw the pros pull off earlier in the Thunder's first playoff game since 2020.
Between mimicking the moves of the millionaire ballers, soon enough debates will break out surrounding who is most likely to be the next star on the hardwood among the friend group. It is a shared experience that is a right of passage for every child, despite few ever even going on to make their varsity high school squads.
Down under, not long ago, those kids were New Orleans Pelicans guard Dyson Daniels and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey who grew up playing against each other. Now, they are living out everyone's childhood dream.
Before the start of Game 1 on Sunday, Daniels was zoned in listening to music in his locker. When approached for questions and asked about Giddey, the Sophomore guard could not help but crack a smile.
“We were very close. We played with each other against each other since we were 12 so I have been with him for a while." Daniels told Inside the Thunder when discussing his relationship with the Thunder starter.
Both players are NBA Academy Alumni who went on to be selected in the top ten of their respective NBA Drafts. Despite being on opposite sides of this NBA playoff matchup, the two still share a court for Team Australia during Olympic and FIBA competitions.
Daniels has watched Giddey more intimately than almost anyone but was quick to say nothing about his childhood pal's game has changed from their upbringing.
“It is the same game. He has been the same player his whole life," Daniels said with reverence for Giddey's consistency.
That consistency has truly shown up for Giddey since March 1 as the still just 21-year-old has averaged 15.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.2 stocks to the tune of 54 percent shooting from the floor, 37 percent shooting from distance and an impressive 69 percent at the rim as the third-year guard learns how to utilize his 6-foot-8 frame.
While becoming professional basketball players certainly limits the time spent with your close friend for most of the year with each of them navigating their own NBA schedules, the bulk of their time spent together comes in the offseason.
“We text each other all the time, obviously we don’t see each other during the season but offseason we go home and hang out in Melbourne together and play on the Australian team together so we are with each other most of the offseason," Daniels explained to Inside the Thunder.
In the First Round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, the Australian duo is living out everyone's dream on the biggest stage, while getting to see each other a tad more.
Though, now is not the time to reflect on their past. Daniels quickly sat up, locking back in soon to return to his pregame playlist, with the final question being a quiz on what this series against his NBA Academy counterpart means to him.
“For me, it is just business, we are friends off the court not on the court. So this is a business trip for me," Daniels told Inside the Thunder.
This summer, the two will have plenty of time to catch up on how special it is to make your playoff debut against your childhood confidant.
Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
