Australia’s next NBA star Dyson Daniels has Matthew Dellavedova in his corner as he prepares to take on the NBA

Remember the name Dyson Daniels. Projected as a top-15 pick, Australia’s next NBA star is preparing for the big time with Delly in his corner.

Dyson Daniels – Australian basketball’s next big thing - can still hear Matthew Dellavedova’s advice ringing in his ears.

As Australia’s brightest NBA draft prospect, 18-year-old Daniels has taken it upon himself to put Dellavedova’s wise words into practice as he prepares for next year’s draft as a projected first-round pick coming in at No.15 in the latest mock predictions.

The Bendigo-born shooting guard is currently playing with the G League Ignite in the NBA’s second tier as he looks to become Australia’s next star on the world’s best hoops stage.

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Daniels knows his journey won’t be easy, and he’ll face setbacks, but he feels comforted that he can climb up the draft board with an NBA champion and Boomers veteran like Dellavedova in his corner.

“I regularly chat to Delly and he always sending me words of encouragement,” Daniels revealed.

“He is one of the hardest working guys out there, so his main message to me is to be the hardest worker on the floor.

“So, be the first in the gym and the last one to leave and to keep working on my game and the areas I need to focus on.

“Delly is great to learn off.”

Delly has taken Dyson Daniels under his wing. Picture: Michael Klein

Dellavedova’s continued support has helped Daniels make a seamless transition to life as a professional basketballer.

Despite a self-confessed ‘rusty’ start to his pre-season games with the G League Ignite, the rising Aussie excelled on debut.

Daniels dropped a team-high 22 points while adding six rebounds and three assists despite the Ignite losing to the South Bay Lakers.

The eye-catching performance had Dellavedova impressed watching on from Australia as he prepares for his maiden NBL season with Melbourne United.

“Dyson just looks comfortable already,” Dellavedova said.

“It is just really exciting because he is playing against men and there are a lot of great athletes and players in the G League.

“To come out of the gates like that is very impressive and I’m excited to see what he can do throughout the course of the year because I know how much he’ll improve just by how hard he works.”

Dellavedova grew up with countless mentors from Matt Nielsen and David Andersen to Joe Ingles and Patty Mills.

He now wants to return the favour.

“Any advice or knowledge that I can help Dyson or any other young Aussies coming through with, I’m definitely happy to do that,” he said.

“I was lucky enough to have people do that for me, whether I was at the Institute in Canberra or first coming into the national team.”

Dyson Daniels went crazy for Ignite in his first official game as a pro 🔥 @DysonDaniels

22 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast, 9-15 fg pic.twitter.com/bjXAJUXGqA

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) November 6, 2021

GIDDEY FOR JOSH

When it comes to hardworking mentors like Dellavedova, Daniels is also blessed to have rising Australian star Josh Giddey on his side.

He attended the NBA Global Academy in Canberra alongside Giddey, and the pair have a close bond.

Daniels does his best to watch as many of Giddey’s Thunder games and he is enjoying the spectacle as his good mate puts on a show in his rookie NBA season.

“Seeing how far Josh has come is really inspiring,” he said.

“He has his own story, including being cut from teams.

“I was training alongside him at the NBA Academy and now he is on the big stage out there getting buckets and playing really well for his team.

“Just seeing him do that inspires me even more and I’m sure it inspires a lot of Australians back home as well.”

Josh Giddey’s rise to the NBA has inspired lots of Aussie hoopers. Picture: Getty Images

LIFE ON THE ROAD:

Living in America, thousands of kilometres from home, can be daunting.

That’s especially the case if you’re an 18-year-old with so much to learn about life.

For Daniels, though, he relishes being thrown in the deep end.

He left his hometown of Bendigo at a young age to attend the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, so he enjoys the challenge of fending for himself.

“I think that has helped me settle in over here in America and make it a smooth transition,” said Daniels, who is living in Walnut Creek, 20 minutes out of Oakland.

“To play in my dream league, the NBA, you have to be in America anyway.

“So, coming over here and getting a taste of what it is going to be like to take my game to the next level was really appealing.

“I’ve always wanted to come to America to play basketball and now I’m doing it.”

Dyson Daniels lays it up for G-League Ignite. Picture: Getty Images

HOW CLOSE WAS THE NBL?

Daniels seriously considered the NBL’s Next Star program after training with defending champions Melbourne United earlier this year.

In the end, he opted to join the G League due to its focus on development at the G League Ignite, a club that had three players drafted into the NBA this season in Jalen Green (No.2), Jonathan Kuminga (No.7) and Isaiah Todd (No.31).

“I think what the G League had to offer on and off the court development wise is what I needed,” he said.

“College was going to be the first option that I had in mind and then I started shifting more towards the NBL because some of the players who had come through like LaMelo Ball and Giddey that showed the league to be a true path to the NBA.

“But after a few zoom calls at the G League Ignite I liked what they had to offer through the development they had, on and off the court like media and nutrition training.

“And on the court, there was really good development as well up against NBA type players who are trying to make it as well.”

Daniels rates the NBL highly, and thoroughly enjoyed his time with United, even if the G League was always his first priority as he could select the team he wanted to join.

“I loved training with Melbourne,” he said.

“They were really helpful with my training, especially during Covid.

“The coaching staff were great, but if I went to the NBL I would have signed on the Next Star contract, and I don’t get to choose which team I go to, but I didn’t really get that far into committing to a team.”

BOOMERS BOND:

Australian veteran Joe Ingles recently contracted Daniels on Instagram to say congrats and good luck for the G League season.

It was a moment that meant a lot to the emerging Aussie given he has long aspired to follow in Ingles’ footsteps and don the green and gold on the senior international stage.

Daniels has excelled for Australia at a junior level, winning a gold medal at the Under 15s Oceania Championships in 2018.

He also impressed in his senior debut in February, scoring 23 points and adding six steals and four assists in a FIBA Asia Cup qualifying win over New Zealand.

Now after seeing the Boomers break their medal hoodoo in Tokyo, Daniels craves more playing time on the senior stage.

“When I was at the centre of excellence in Canberra, I was with Australian assistant coach Adam Caporn, and he always came back from Boomers camp and talked about the pride that team has and how badly they want to win a medal for the country and themselves,” he said.

“To see them finally win the medal was really inspiring – hopefully I can play in that team and win a few more medals.

Dyson Daniels has a focus on keeping the Aussie bond. Photo: Cameron Laird/FIBA

“Keeping that Australian bond is always something that I try to do and hopefully I can stay in contact with the likes of Ingles.”

Daniels isn’t sure if he’ll play for Australia in the Asian World Cup qualifiers coming up in February as he focuses on his maiden G League season.

“I haven’t discussed it, so I wouldn’t lock that in,” he said

“It is definitely something that I’d love to do, but whether it is the best thing to do I’m not sure yet.”

Daniels, though, still dreams of playing in a Boomers side in the future featuring Giddey, Josh Green, Matisse Thybulle and potentially Ben Simmons.

“There is a lot of talent coming through, so the Boomers are going to be good for the next few years,” he said.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing how Australian basketball goes and how it keeps progressing.”

EYES ON THE PRIZE:

Daniels wants to prove he can be a guard that can run a team during his G League stint.

He also wants to tighten up his handle and improve his shooting and physicality.

Most of all, though, Daniels wants to lay a platform for the next generation of Australian basketballers.

“I’ve always said that Australian basketball is really good and there are a lot of juniors out there that don’t get recognised that maybe should,” he said.

“I think people like Josh are putting Australian basketball on the map and I’m sure it is going to be looked at more in the next few years.

“I try and go out there and play for myself and my country with the Australian pride that we have in our basketball.

“Hopefully I can be one to follow for the kids so they can learn from me.”

Originally published as Australia’s next NBA star Dyson Daniels has Matthew Dellavedova in his corner as he prepares to take on the NBA