Fans shower praise on Dyson Daniels as MIP honors cap off his stellar season

The NBA named Dyson Daniels on Wednesday the Most Improved Player of the Year (MIP) winner. He finished the season with 14.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and a league-leading 3.0 assists per game. Daniel’s career-high numbers in points, rebounds, assists, steals, field goal percentage and 3-point shooting efficiency were the biggest reasons he earned the George Mikan Trophy.

Fans promptly reacted to Daniels’ accomplishment:

“Leaving the Pelicans guarantees a come-up year”

One fan said:

“ROBBED FOR DPOY SHOULDVE WON BOTH”

Another fan added:

“not bad for a throw-in”

@T4NKDAWG continued:

“We stole Dyson Daniels for Dejounte Murray and 2 1st round picks sheesh!!!”

@MartinoPuccio commented:

“Finally, a player that makes sense to win it and not top 3 picks in the lottery lmao”

Dyson Daniels hardly stood out while playing for the New Orleans Pelicans in his first two seasons in the NBA. In his stay in “The Big Easy,” he averaged 4.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.5 APG and 1.1 SPG. The Pelicans traded him last offseason to the Atlanta Hawks along with Larry Nance Jr. and two first-round picks.

Daniels became a revelation when he started playing for the Hawks. The Australian was undeniably the team’s best defensive player. Some fans thought the combo guard should have won the Defensive Player of the Year award, an honor that went to Evan Mobley.

Dyson Daniels’ two-way play had a big impact on the Atlanta Hawks

Last season, the Atlanta Hawks finished the regular season with a 36-46 record. This year, they improved to 40-42 with plenty of help from Dyson Daniels, who shone on both ends of the floor. Despite dealing with injuries to key players for most of the season, the Hawks clinched a play-in tournament berth.

Unsurprisingly, Daniels’ most significant contribution was on defense. From 27th in defensive rating (118.4) last season, the Hawks improved to 114.8 for 18th this year.

Daniels’ 14.1 PPG and 4.4 APG were both third on the team. He became a reliable contributor on offense who coach Quin Snyder leaned on. The former Pelicans backup guard showed impressive chemistry with star point guard Trae Young in his first season with the Hawks.

Dyson Daniels’ impact the Hawks also reflect in ways that do not readily show on the stat sheet. Daniels’ savvy plays, hustle and energy were invaluable. Hawks opponents sometimes change their plans on offense to keep the Australian from disrupting their plays.

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Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael’s background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich’s genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael’s reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael’s children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero