2026 NBA Draft: Dash Daniels Scouting Report

Throughout the 2025-26 season, Babcock Hoops will provide comprehensive scouting reports on top 2026 NBA Draft prospects, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and potential at the next level. Our reports offer an in-depth look at each player's development and draft outlook.

Dash Daniels

Position: Guard/Forward

Team: Melbourne United (Australia)

Class: International

Height/Weight: 6'5", 198 lbs

Birthdate: December 18, 2007

Previous Team: BA Centre of Excellence (Australia)

Player Overview

Dash Daniels is a 6-foot-6 wing from Bendigo, Australia, currently competing with Melbourne United through the NBL’s Next Stars program. The younger brother of Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, Dash shares a similar foundation of length, feel, and defensive instincts but adds his own flair with a more advanced offensive toolkit at this stage. A product of the NBA Global Academy and Sandringham Sabres, Daniels is part of Australia’s next wave of versatile two-way prospects.

Strengths

• Two-Way Defensive Disruptor: Daniels’s length and positional size allow him to defend multiple spots, using his anticipation and motor to generate deflections and contest shots both on and off the ball.

• High Basketball IQ & Competitive Instincts: Shows advanced feel and maturity for his age, making sound reads and demonstrating strong situational awareness.

• Versatility & Skill Set: Capable of scoring at all three levels — can handle the ball in pick-and-rolls, create separation with craft, and space the floor as a developing shooter.

• Culture Player: Immersed in a professional environment at a young age, Daniels benefits from elite coaching and exposure to veteran teammates. His work ethic and mindset reflect his upbringing and family influence.

  
  

Concerns

• Burst and Explosion: His length and frame project well long-term, but his first-step and vertical pop aren’t elite, limiting his ability to separate or finish above the rim at times.

• Finishing Through Contact: Needs to become more assertive at attacking the basket and develop the strength and body control to finish through size and physical play.

• Offensive Assertiveness: Can appear tentative in half-court creation settings; finding the balance between facilitating and being a scoring threat will be key as he adjusts to higher levels.

  
  

Questions

• Can Daniels translate his defensive effectiveness into consistent two-way production in the NBA?

• Will his offensive game progress enough to shoulder primary creation duties, or will he project more as a complementary player?

• How quickly can he adapt to the physical and mental pace of the professional game?

• Will his athletic development catch up to his skill and instincts, allowing him to maximize his ceiling?

  
  

Bottom Line

Dash Daniels profiles as a modern two-way wing with great length, defensive instincts, and a well-rounded offensive base. The Next Stars platform positions him well to progress his game, but his trajectory will hinge on physical development, confidence, and in-game reps against pros. If he tightens his handle, grows more assertive offensively, and continues to mature physically, Daniels could emerge as one of the more intriguing long-term prospects for the 2026 NBA Draft, a potential late-blooming impact player, much like his brother before him.