WITH his side putting up a strong challenge to the visiting New Orleans Pelicans, National Basketball League (NBL) Next Star Dash Daniels caught the eye for Melbourne United in the 10-point loss at John Cain Arena.

United kicked off the NBL x NBA weekend of action in Melbourne by hosting the Pelicans on Friday night. Despite it being a preseason clash for New Orleans, the Pelicans brought the big names in Zion Williamson and Jordan Poole to make for an entertaining exhibition matchup at John Cain Arena.

A strong start from Williamson was the catalyst to giving New Orleans an early lead, with the former number-one pick dropping 10 points in the first quarter. The Pelicans retained the lead for the rest of the match, and although the hosts did well to keep the margin within single digits in the final frame, they fell short against the NBA outfit, who claimed a 10-point win while also getting some court time into their inexperienced players.

In his first true test against NBA opponents, Daniels was a shining light for Melbourne, showing that he is more than capable of competing at the top level in a performance that may prove vital in determining his draft standing.

Melbourne United (97) def. by New Orleans Pelicans (107)

Dash Daniels – 11 points, six rebounds, one assist, one steal

Friday night’s encounter was a massive step for Daniels, who may have just furthered his claims as a top-10 prospect with an excellent showing against New Orleans that demanded respect from the opposition.

He showcased his defensive instincts, despite being matched up on star players such as Poole at times, harassing the opposition, picking up his player from full court and keeping his hands active at all times when guarding a player.

Daniels certainly gave the opposition a tough time whenever matched up on him, and showed that his highly touted defensive instincts can translate to the top level, and will have certainly impressed NBA scouts keeping a close eye on this matchup.

One of the big wraps on the NBA prospect is the fact that he is considered by some to be more improved offensively than his brother Dyson was at this stage in his development. The older brother has already impressed at the top level, and is the reigning NBA Most Improved Player, and is one of the best defensive players in the competition.

Dash has those defensive traits as well, but is more capable of putting the ball on the floor than his brother was during his draft year, and was able to knock down some impressive shots, doing most of his damage in the lane with some tough floaters.

Over recent weeks, he has also shown the ability to step into three-pointers, which addresses a key area of improvement for the draft prospect heading into the season. His offensive game is improving on a weekly basis and could determine his standing as a top-10 selection.

Daniels’ performance also drew the praise of Williamson, who had an exciting message for the youngster ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft in June.

“He was a very active defender. He made some offensive plays that I definitely liked from him,” Williamson said.

“I told him ‘I better see you in the NBA really soon’.”

Daniels is impressing immensely with United throughout his draft year, and a strong showing against an NBA team over the weekend will have certainly turned the heads of some NBA scouts.