Draft expert lauds Daniels as one of the worlds best defenders at his age

As he continues his preparation for his Melbourne United debut, Next Star Dash Daniels has been commended by ESPN’s lead NBA Draft expert.

Speaking on the ESPN Aussie Hoops Hour podcast, Jonathan Givony, who will be in attendance for the upcoming U19 FIBA World Cup in Switzerland, said he can’t wait to get a closer look at Daniels during the tournament.

“Dash is one of the best defenders in the world for his age. He’s absolutely elite,” he said.

“He looks like he’s still growing too… There's so much talent there, I’m really excited to get another look at him in a couple of weeks in Switzerland.”

Daniels, who went unbeaten in his five NBL1 games with the Sandringham Sabres while averaging 19.2 points per contest, will be one of the highest ranked prospects outside of team USA at the tournament.

Exploring what he wants to see out of the guard, Givony is looking for Daniels to take control of games with his athleticism.

“I want to see him be aggressive… There’s so much ability there, and he’s so unselfish, but sometimes you want to see him be a little bit more of a motherf*****.

“Just go into contact, smash into somebody, go throw one down on somebody. I want to see him just dunk on somebody because he’s so athletic I know he can do it.”

Daniels’ World Cup campaign with the Australian Emus begins on Sunday 29 June at 1:15am against the USA. 

All games will be streamed live via the FIBA YouTube channel. 

The only way to ensure you don’t miss a second of Dash’s journey with Melbourne United is by becoming a Member today!

Melbourne United Memberships have been selling fast with multiple Full Season Memberships categories already sold out. Limited Full Season memberships remain available, as do our 3 & 5 Game Memberships. Fans are encouraged to sign up NOW to avoid missing out. To find out more about our Membership options, click here.