‘Hard as a mother f***er’: Proof NBA’s breakout Aussie ‘isn’t like most rookies’ amid insane top 70 call

Dyson Daniels is quick constructing his repute within the NBA.

The Aussie younger gun’s spectacular kind every time he’s taken the court docket has seen his function step by step improve all through the primary quarter of the season for a surging New Orleans Pelicans workforce that has charged into the No. 1 seed within the Western Conference.

It’s outstanding to think about the 19-year outdated Daniels has in current weeks began 5 video games and performed massive minutes for a workforce now thought of a real title contender – albeit whereas coping with accidents to key gamers Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones.

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But these elevated alternatives might’ve gone to anybody, with the Bendigo-born product, who was drafted with the eighth general choose simply six months in the past, warranting these alternatives along with his stellar play.

While people Down Under have taken discover of one other promising Aussie making a splash within the NBA, he’s additionally turning heads within the United States media.

The Ringer is about to launch its 2023 NBA high commerce worth listing – successfully rating the highest 70 gamers within the league proper now primarily based on present manufacturing, potential and the way a lot they’re being paid – within the coming days, and Bill Simmons revealed Daniels deserved an honourable point out regardless of lacking out.

In truth, Simmons famous he might but discover a spot for Daniels when the highest 70 is formally launched – a outstanding feat contemplating he’d earmarked superstars Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul, Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal for ranks 70-67 – clearly factoring of their profitable salaries.

“Daniels comes out and he looks like he’s 25. He might end up being on the list by the time I’m done,” he mentioned of the Aussie on The Bill Simmons Podcast.

“I really like the way he carries himself … defensively he’s already there.

“He seems like he’s fun to play with and I’ll be interested to see how he evolves for them and whether or not they’re able to find minutes for them – because they’re (New Orleans) a contender.”

As Simmons identified, how Daniels is utilized by Pelicans coach Willie Green transferring ahead when the workforce is wholesome might be a captivating watch contemplating how a lot he’s hit his stride with extra alternatives.

It’s clearly warranted a much bigger function for the teenager, who wasn’t even a part of the Pels rotation on opening night time, in some form or kind.

Regardless of whether or not continues to play vital minutes, he’s confirmed to be an ideal get for New Orleans and a real influence participant within the league, with a brilliant future on probably the most promising groups within the league.

“I was really praying he was going to be around when the Wizards drafted in the most recent draft. I thought he would’ve been a terrific defensive addition to the team,” NBA analyst Joe House mentioned on the Bill Simmons Podcast.

“He just plays hard as a mother f***er and it’s unbelievable that he’s on the Pelicans.”

On the stat sheet, Daniels’ averages of 5.7 factors, 3.7 rebounds per recreation don’t leap off the web page.

It’s the influence the versatile guard/ahead has although in number of ways in which actually stands out behind an athletic 6-foot-7 body (201cm).

He’s drawn defensive assignments on the most effective superstars within the recreation comparable to LeBron James, Pascal Siakam, Chris Paul and Devin Booker and Luka Doncic – the latter his opening process the primary time he performed correct minutes in a frightening welcome to the NBA second – however he’s all the time been up for such seismic match-ups.

Heck, what number of 19-year outdated rookies might you placed on such massive names? It’s no marvel Green needed to discover him extra minutes.

Also able to switching onto totally different opponents throughout defensive units, it’s Daniels’ play at that finish of the court docket the place he’s most impressed.

But he’s additionally proven flashes on the offensive finish – working the offence along with his super court docket imaginative and prescient and going into assault mode when he will get openings – persistently making the appropriate play and demonstrating a excessive stage of basketball IQ.

“Incredible ball handling and distribution … but the defensive part of the basketball game is where he’s most comfortable ,” former NBA participant David Wesley mentioned on Balley Sports.

“I have a feeling we’ll find out that he too can also play some really good offence when called upon.

“He doesn’t get scared of the moment and he doesn’t get sped up. He has a nice pace to his game.

“But his understanding and his maturity on the defensive side of the ball is incredible – you don’t normally get it like that – his reads and rotations and all those things.

“He’s a natural on defence and the fact he has some offensive game too, that’s bonus.”

While a participant taken with Pick 8 got here into the NBA with excessive prospects, not many thought he or the Pelicans would come on this shortly.

Daniels doesn’t fairly have the function of a Josh Giddey as the place to begin guard for the OKC Thunder final season that helped him flourish and put up massive numbers, however contributing to a bona fide contender is arguably extra spectacular.

Not many others from the 2022 draft class – and even earlier draft courses – have produced for playoff groups, with Daniels’ current play specifically pushing him into All-Rookie workforce calculations.

As The Athletic’s William Guillory highlighted, Daniels’ potential to have a direct influence on a profitable workforce reveals he “isn’t like most rookies.”

“Life can come at you fast as an NBA rookie. Trying to find your footing in a new situation while your idols look to put you on their latest highlight tape is tough. Some handle it better than others,” Guillory wrote on theathletic.com.

“Unlike most top-10 picks, Daniels’ initiation to the league is coming with a team that doesn’t need him to produce immediately … the Pelicans planned to bring Daniels along slowly with the hope he might be ready to contribute once the playoffs neared. But injuries to other key players have forced Daniels to be part of the rotation much earlier than they anticipated.

“Because of that, New Orleans is learning that Daniels isn’t like most rookies. His fearlessness, one of the main traits that attracted the Pelicans to him in the pre-draft process, has been on full display. He carries himself with a stoic demeanour uncommon for players his age. He enjoys being called upon to guard some of the best scorers in the world.

“With the opportunities he’s received, Daniels has shown he’s far from the long-term project the Pelicans originally expected. It will be tough to keep him off the floor this season once the team gets fully healthy again, and his play at such a young age is forcing the entire organisation to rethink his long-term ceiling.”