AUSSIE Dyson Daniels has got reward for effort when it comes to his 2024/25 NBA campaign with the Atlanta Hawks, receiving the Most Improved Player award after a breakout campaign with his new team.

Daniels was traded from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Atlanta Hawks ahead of the season, and was immediately placed into the starting lineup to pair with Trae Young, which loomed as an ideal duo given the Australian’s perimeter defence ability.

Although Australians were familiar with how well Daniels could perform, having played his junior basketball on home shores and represented his country with the Boomers, few could predict such an emphatic leap in such a short amount of time, with Daniels becoming one of the best defenders in the league.

The talented guard/forward, who tested with Rookie Me at the 2019 NBL Next Gen combine, was always highly touted in his home country, and was drafted to the Pelicans with the eighth overall selection in the 2022 draft, where he had a solid start to his career, but was forced to come off the bench.

The move to the Hawks was just what the doctor ordered, with Daniels slotting into the starting lineup seamlessly and recording 5-plus steals at a consistent rate in the opening month of the season. His presence lifted Atlanta on the defensive end, and his performances proved matchwinning on more than one occasion.

It is hard to find a better perimeter defender than the Aussie, who was aptly named the ‘Great Barrier Thief’ for his early season performances, with an innate ability to read the play, poke the ball free and stay in front of his direct opponent.

He was tasked with guarding the best player on the opposing team, with performances against big name players such as Jalen Brunson seeing the Aussie come out on top in the individual battle, while a game-winning steal against Desmond Bane and the Memphis Grizzlies perfectly demonstrated that his defence can win games.

One question mark that hung over Daniels’ head was his offensive impact, but the Australian could not have answered any better, averaging nearly eight points more per game, and becoming a capable knockdown shooter from behind the arc. With Young attracting plenty of defensive attention, Daniels ensured that the All-Star point guard could rely on his teammate to chip in for over 14 points per game.

On the season, the Bendigo native averaged 14.1 points (up from 5.8), 5.9 rebounds (up from 3.8), 4.4 assists (up from 2.7), a remarkable 3.0 steals and 0.7 blocks per game, on an impressive 49.3 per cent shooting from the field.

The Most Improved Player Award was certainly deserved for Daniels, who stormed on the NBA scene with a tremendous campaign with the Hawks, and with plenty of development ahead at 22 years of age, the sky is the limit for the ‘Great Barrier Thief’.