Australian Dyson Daniels is leading the NBA’s fashion charge with his stylish ‘tunnel fits’

From the court to the catwalk, NBA star Dyson Daniels is making a play for the spotlight, as he reflects on the ‘curveball’ of being traded – and his next move.

Basketball has never just been about what happens on the court. And now, more than ever, style is becoming a major play away from it, with the pre-game “tunnel fits” – the term used to describe the outfits players wear on their arrival at a stadium – well and truly turning heads.

For Australian-born Dyson Daniels, a rising NBA star who says he uses fashion to “step out of my comfort zone”, it’s an opportunity to express his individuality.

The 21-year-old’s go-to look consists of a bomber jacket, jeans, white sneakers, a statement watch, headphones and a Louis Vuitton bag (the French luxury label is one of his favourites). “I start with the jacket, and dress it down from there,” Daniels tells Stellar.

“Sometimes I dress it [up] with pants, sometimes with jorts,” he says of the 2000s-staple jean shorts that have made a comeback. “That’s one thing that we see in the NBA with the ‘tunnel fits’, that people really express themselves through what they wear.”

Picture: Oliver Begg for Stellar

His photo shoot with Stellar is on a recent trip to Sydney after he fulfilled a childhood goal of playing for Australia’s men’s basketball team, the Boomers, at the Paris Olympics. “I had the dream as a kid of representing my country at the Olympics,” he says.

“We didn’t get the result we wanted but it was a great learning experience [and] something I’ll remember forever. Hopefully, in four years I can do it again.”

Daniels has had plenty of other pinch-me moments since making his NBA debut in 2022.

“I used to watch [NBA megastars] Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and James Harden, who played together while I was growing up. And now I get to play against them, which is pretty cool.”

Standing at a towering 2.01m, Daniels, who was raised in country Victoria and has been playing basketball since the age of five, is following in the footsteps of his father, Ricky Daniels, who played college basketball in the US before moving to Australia. After scoring a spot in the NBA Global Academy program in Canberra, Daniels signed with NBA G League Ignite, a world-class development team, before entering the 2022 NBA Draft. The New Orleans Pelicans selected him with the eighth overall pick.

Picture: Oliver Begg for Stellar

For the occasion, held at the Barclays Center in New York City, he sported a glittering metallic silver suit – which featured a tribute to his family and hometown of Bendigo sewn into the jacket lining – with a silver watch and a black bow tie.

His mother, Brikitta Kool-Daniels, also went viral for her eye-catching look: a white dress with a daring asymmetrical hemline.

Joining her son on Stellar’s photo shoot, Kool-Daniels reflects on what Daniels was like growing up with his older brother Kai, 23, and younger brother Dash, 16.

“Dyson wanted to do absolutely everything when it came to all sports,” she recalls.

Dyson Daniels hugs his mother after being drafted to the NBA. Picture: Getty Images

“He just loved playing, competing and winning, and earlier in his life that was mostly to beat his older brother.

“Watching him step onto the court for his first NBA game was both thrilling and surreal,” Kool-Daniels recalls.

“A few years in, we’re still just as excited, but there’s also a sense of anxiety now, knowing the immense pressure he faces at that elite level. Those junior days were definitely a lot more fun.”

In action for the Boomers at the Paris Olympics. Picture: Adam Head

Picture: Getty Images

The upcoming season, which starts next month, has shaken things up for Daniels, who moved from the Pelicans to the Atlanta Hawks in a multi-player trade.

“I was settled in New Orleans and wasn’t really expecting to be traded – it was kind of a curveball,” Daniels says of his relocation.

“It just shows that you can get ‘moved’ any day; you’re not safe anywhere. And teams can get rid of you, just like that.”

Off the court, Daniels has also established himself as a global fashion entrepreneur with the launch of his streetwear label, Vouseti.

“I want a nice, long career in the NBA, I think, looking at five or 10 years,” he says of his ambitions.

“I’m just trying to keep pushing my name, perform in the NBA, see what I can do to help the community, and build my brand.”

And despite the whirlwind of the past few years, Daniels says the US now feels like home. “It was definitely scary going over there as an 18-year-old, not knowing what to expect,” he recalls. “It’s a very daunting experience. Now I have my people, my close friend group. I’d say I’ve settled down pretty nicely.”

See the full shoot with Dyson Daniels in the latest issue of Stellar. For more from Stellar, click here.

Originally published as Australian Dyson Daniels is leading the NBA’s fashion charge with his stylish ‘tunnel fits’