Dyson Daniels Crowned NBA Most Improved Player: Fantasy Basketball Impact

Every NBA and fantasy basketball season, a handful of players take a massive leap forward. However, few made the kind of quantum jump that Dyson Daniels did this past season—a transformation so profound that it earned him the Kia Most Improved Player honors and made him a fantasy basketball juggernaut overnight. He was close to winning Defensive Player of the Year honors as well, but fell short to Cleveland’s Evan Mobley. Daniels and Nikola Jokic were the only two players nominated for multiple awards. That’s pretty elite company to keep.

While voters had a tough time choosing between Daniels and the Clippers’ Ivica Zubac (as well as Detroit’s Cade Cunningham), Daniels’ impact—on both the hardwood and in fantasy basketball leagues—stood above the rest.

Originally selected No. 8 overall by New Orleans in the 2022 NBA Draft, Daniels’ early career was a quiet simmer—more promise than production. His 1.4 steals per game in 2023–24 were impressive given his limited run, but nothing screamed future fantasy basketball stud. 

Then came the Dejounte Murray trade that changed everything.

The Pelicans shipped Daniels to Atlanta in the blockbuster deal and the Hawks wasted no time handing him the keys to the backcourt. In his first game as a member of the Hawks, he stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, five boards, two dimes, FIVE steals, two triples, and a block. And that wasn’t a fluke—it was a prelude of things to come.

Over the first dozen games of the year, Daniels averaged 3.7 steals per game, putting fantasy managers on high alert. By midseason, he wasn’t just a waiver-wire wonder—he was a weekly difference-maker.

Daniels started all 76 games he suited up for in Atlanta, playing 34 minutes a night and setting career highs across the board. 

That 3.0 steals per game mark? Unreal. It didn’t just lead the league—it warped fantasy matchups weekly. In category leagues, Daniels was a game-breaking asset, while in points formats, his defensive stats made him a consistent top-30 performer.

If you landed Daniels off the wire last season—or snagged him in the final round—you likely cashed in big. He was arguably the fantasy basketball MVP relative to ADP. That value is long gone as he is expected to be selected as early as Round 3 in competitive leagues next season. With the Hawks embracing a youth-first rebuild, he’s locked into a heavy-minute role alongside other emerging studs like Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu, and Zaccharie Risacher. Time will tell what the Hawks do with Trae Young but one thing is for certain: Daniels is a rising talent that the Hawks hit the lottery on. 

Daniels’ ceiling is now much higher than just a defensive engine. With his offensive confidence growing and the keys to Atlanta’s perimeter defense already in his hands, don’t be surprised if he pushes toward 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists per game next season while still providing elite steal totals and solid efficiency. And if the Hawks indeed trade Young, Daniels’ could emerge into a second-round value with even higher counting stats.

If you’re drafting in 2025, don’t sleep on the rising Hawk. He’s got the fantasy game to match the real-life accolades—and then some.

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