Hawks breakout star among NBA’s most improved youngsters

While the Hawks still flirt with a .500 record, this team feels much different than past Atlanta teams.

Expectations certainly play a part in the enjoyment of watching this Hawks club, but it’s more than that. You can finally see the pieces of the puzzle coming together. The Hawks are building the foundation out in ways they haven’t ever done, and the young core is worth getting excited about.

Trae Young is obviously the centerpiece. Despite the annual trade rumors around the star point guard, he’s just 26 years old and will garner another supermax contract following his current deal. He’s the reason Quin Snyder came to Atlanta and why the Hawks will have a chance to build a legitimate contender.

But instead of just chasing All-Star names like Dejounte Murray, the Hawks have found franchise pillars through the draft and trade. Jalen Johnson could earn his first All-Star bid this season. De’Andre Hunter has seemingly found his niche off the bench. Zaccharie Risacher is a productive piece, even while being a dreadful shooter, a facet of his game that can surely be improved upon.

More than any of them, the Dyson Daniels acquisition is the one that has me most excited. He’s one of the best defenders in the league and is only 21 years old. The Hawks have a breakout star in the making, and ESPN described him as the most improved player in the Association under 25 years old.

“Also known as the “Great Barrier Thief,” Daniels’ improvement this season has been nothing short of startling.

The No. 8 pick in the 2022 draft already made a huge leap in estimated RAPTOR last season (from -3.2 to +0.1) as a member of the Pelicans, but he has gotten far better again (rising to +1.4) with the Hawks at age 21 this season as a starter at the 2 spot. Not only is Daniels scoring a career-high 13.1 PPG, but, with a plus-2.5 estimated RAPTOR specifically on defense, he has established himself as one of the NBA’s best wing defenders.”

Dyson Daniels is the force on the defensive end that the Hawks have been missing next to Trae Young. He leads the NBA in steals per game (3.2) and deflections per game (6.6).

More than that, he’s averaging a career-high 13.0 points per game on his most efficient shooting from the field (45.1%). ESPN compared Daniels to Clyde Drexler and Scottie Pippen, given their similar metrics at 21 years old. That’s some tall praise for the Great Barrier Thief.

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Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire

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