Dyson Daniels makes history with mind-blowing accomplishment in Year 1 for Hawks

In his first season with the Atlanta Hawks, Dyson Daniels has put together a historic defensive campaign. The Great Barrier Thief finished Atlanta’s April 10 win over Brooklyn with 226 steals for the season, marking the most steals in a single season this century.

Daniels surpassed Allen Iverson, who picked 225 pockets in the 2002-03 season. The 22-year-old Aussie will likely make his first-ever All-Defensive team, and he is all but a lock to win the NBA Hustle Award. He has also emerged as the overwhelming betting favorite to win Most Improved Player.

Locked into the No. 8 seed, the Hawks will need Daniels to maintain his defensive wizardry in their play-in game against the Orlando Magic. Atlanta will hit the road on April 15 to take on Orlando for a spot in the playoffs. The winner of that 7-vs-8 play-in battle will take on the defending champion Boston Celtics in the first round.

Daniels finished Year 1 for the Hawks with 229 steals across 76 appearances, averaging 3.0 steals per game. He became the first player since former Hawks head coach Nate McMillan averaged 3.0 steals in the 1993-94 season. Daniels is one of eight players in NBA history – and the only player in the 21st century – to average 3.0 steals for an entire season.

Daniels is also the first guard to lead the NBA in stocks (steals and blocks combined) since Michael Jordan did it in 1988. The 6-foot-8 combo guard averaged a career-high 0.7 blocks and ranked fourth in total blocks among guards.

The Hawks would not have stayed afloat through their injury woes without Daniels’ elite two-way presence. Daniels made multiple clutch plays on the defensive end this season, finishing with the second-most clutch steals in the league.

Dyson Daniels became a different beast on offense

Daniels also took major offensive leaps, logging career-high averages in points, rebounds, assists, and made 3-pointers. Atlanta’s shooting guard of the future averaged 14.1 points, 5.9 boards, and 4.4 assists while shooting a career-best 49.5% from the field. Through his first two years as a pro, Daniels shot 43.5% from the floor on three times fewer shot attempts per game. He has a bulletproof case for Most Improved Player.

Despite a huge increase in volume, Daniels’ efficiency skyrocketed after he left New Orleans. The Hawks will likely pay him a sizable extension this offseason to lock up Trae Young’s talented backcourt mate. Daniels and Young made up Atlanta’s most heavily used two-man lineup this season as the pairing logged 1,862 minutes together.

Daniels may be known for his defensive prowess as a ball hawk, but his 2024-25 transformation on offense is impossible to ignore. In four games without Ice Trae, Daniels averaged 21.5 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.0 rebounds on 58.3% shooting (37.5% from three). The Hawks went 3-1 in those games.

If they make the playoffs, the Hawks will have to face one of Cleveland or Boston in the first round. Daniels shot 50.0% from the field and 40.0% from three in six games against the Cavs and Celtics this season. Atlanta went 4-2 in their matchups with the East’s top two teams. Only three teams in the NBA had winning records against the Celtics this year, and only four had winning records against the Cavs.

Daniels shattered the NBA records for total deflections and deflections per game, surpassing Robert Covington’s 315 total deflections in 2018 with a whopping 443 deflections. The Great Barrier Thief averaged 5.8 deflections one year after Hustle Award winner Alex Caruso led the league with 3.8 per game.

Atlanta’s two-way star is still scratching the surface of his potential, which is scary news for the rest of the Eastern Conference. Daniels’ first year in ATL is one that Hawks fans will never forget.