Projected top-10 NBA draft pick coming to Sacramento for pre-draft workout with Kings
The Kings have been tightlipped about their preparation for the NBA draft over the past couple of weeks, but one of the players they are evaluating has revealed he is coming to Sacramento for a pre-draft workout.
Dyson Daniels, a projected top-10 pick in the June 23 draft, shared his itinerary Friday following a workout with the Indiana Pacers. Daniels told the Indianapolis Star’s James Boyd he will visit the Kings and Washington Wizards in the days to come after participating in previous workouts with the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons and Pacers. A league source confirmed Daniels is expected to make a stop in Sacramento.
“The stakes are high,” Daniels told the Star. “You’ve just got to push through it. It is tough, but I enjoy the game. I like coming in here. I like competing. It’s tough on your body, all the flying, all the playing and stuff like that, but the stakes are high, and at the end of the day, hopefully, it pays off, so this process is tough, but I’m enjoying it, for sure.”
Daniels, 19, is a 6-foot-7 ½, 195-pound shooting guard who grew up in Australia before coming to the United States to play for G League Ignite last season. Daniels averaged 12.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.0 steals in 26 games for Ignite.
Some analysts consider Daniels the third-best shooting guard in this year’s draft behind Purdue’s Jaden Ivey and Kentucky’s Shaedon Sharpe. Daniels has outstanding size and length for his position. He is regarded as one of the draft’s best two-way players with a strong reputation as a multi-positional defender.
Daniels isn’t the most explosive athlete and lacks consistency with his jump shot, but scouts speak highly of his basketball IQ, motor, frame and well-rounded game.
Daniels is a product of the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia, the same program that produced Josh Giddey, who was the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NBA draft.
“This year with G League Ignite was a success for me in what I was trying to get out of it,” Daniels told ESPN when he declared for the draft. “I was able to learn a lot about myself and where I belong on the floor. I got more and more comfortable in my role and was constantly learning (from) veterans like Pooh Jeter, Kevin Murphy and our great coaching staff. NBA teams were able to see that I can guard multiple positions and be the best defender on the floor, as well as my ability to run a team and make plays off the bounce. My shooting stroke improved and I gained comfort playing off the ball as a cutter and spot-up shooter.”
This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 1:11 PM.
