Dash Daniels signs with the Next Stars program

Rising star and Centre of Excellence product Dash Daniels has signed with the Next Stars program and will play for Melbourne United in NBL26.

Daniels, who will turn 17 years old later this month, is one of the youngest players ever to sign in the NBL and is already a projected future first round NBA Draft pick.

His older brother, Dyson, also played in the NBL1 in 2019 for their hometown team of Bendigo. 

Dyson was the eighth pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and is currently starring with the Atlanta Hawks, having been named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month in November.

“I feel great. Signing my first pro contract, it’s a dream come true, and I can’t wait to get started,” Daniels said.

“I’ve grown up in the Australian programs, so I know the style of play and the brand of basketball. Melbourne United, I play very similar to them, they take pride in their defence, and they love to get up and down the court, which is what I like to do.”

Daniels, a 6’6 point guard from Bendigo, Victoria, has been developing his game at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra over the past 18 months, following in the footsteps of fellow rising Australian youngsters such Josh Giddey, Alex Toohey and Rocco Zikarsky – all former NBL1 players with the Centre of Excellence. 

A regular member of junior national teams, Daniels represented Australia at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup, where he led the tournament in steals per game.

Adding to his glittering junior career, Daniels was named Player of the Tournament at Basketball Australia’s 2024 U18 National Championships and is set to represent Victoria at the 2025 U20 National Championships early next year.

Read more on the announcement here.