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This week, Dyson Daniels, a rookie for the New Orleans Pelicans, said that shooting was a big focus of his off-season workouts to get ready for his rookie year.
Dyson Daniels was born in Australia and played for the NBA G League Ignite last season. He averaged 11.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. He has become one of the best perimeter defenders in this rookie class and may be the best prospect on the team.
Dyson Daniels's Off-Season Workouts
Daniels is known to be a good defender, but his shooting may be his biggest weakness. With Ignite, he only made 30% of his three-point shots. Dyson Daniels spent a lot of time with Pelicans's assistant coach Fred Vinson to improve in this area.
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Daniels said that he has an all-around game, but he has been focusing on his shot of late. He spends many hours in the gym with the Pelicans's shooting coach, Fred, before and after practice and coming back at night.
He has also been working on his finishing, ball-handling skills, and stuff like getting to the gym and putting on some size. "Those are probably the main things I’ve been focusing on but, obviously, I’ve been doing other stuff just to make sure I keep my all-around game," Dyson said recently.
Dyson Daniels began playing basketball in Australia when he was 15 years old. He started out in the South East Australian Basketball League and then moved on to the NBA Academy, which Josh Giddey also went to. There, he grew into a strong defender with an offensive game that kept getting better.
Rod Strickland, who has been in the NBA for 17 years, helped the 19-year-old with his handles last year. He got better as the season went on with Ignite and became a strong lead guard. The fact that he chose to work with Strickland showed how much he wanted to get better.
The Pelicans's head coach Willie Green saw that Daniels is very motivated.
For Daniels, the sky is the limit. Stating that Dyson is another Jose-mentality, Willie Green said that it's good that Dyson has that mentality about working hard to get better. Green is particularly thankful that the Pelicans were were able to draft him because "he has got some tools." "It's quite exciting to see what he can bring," Green said.
Looking Ahead
Dyson Daniels could only play 8 minutes in the summer league because he hurt his ankle, but he worked hard to get better and was back in the gym in no time. He has spent most of the off-season working out in New Orleans to get ready for the season. He now feels ready.
"A lot of work on the floor for me, a lot of getting in shape and getting in the gym. A lot of time before practice and after practice working on my jump shot. I’ve been in the gym a lot as much as I can to get ready for this season," Daniels said.
The Pelicans were very happy to add Dyson Daniels to their team, but now they will have to find time for him to play. But in the short time he has been with the team, it is clear that he is ready to take on the challenge and earn his place in training camp.
