Atlanta Hawks' Dyson Daniels Named 2025 NBA Most Improved Player

Dyson Daniels, the 22-year-old Australian guard for the Atlanta Hawks, has been named the 2025 NBA Most Improved Player after a remarkable season. Read more about his achievement.

Dyson Daniels, the 22-year-old Australian guard for the Atlanta Hawks, has been named the 2024-25 NBA Most Improved Player. Daniels had a remarkable season, leading the league in steals with an average of 3.0 per game.

The 2024-25 Kia NBA Most Improved Player is... Dyson Daniels!#NBAAwards | #KiaMIP | @Kia pic.twitter.com/GSaRR2lDfy

— NBA (@NBA) April 30, 2025

His impressive performance earned him the George Mikan Trophy, beating out fellow finalists Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons and Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers. Daniels' career-best season statistics include 14.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, showcasing his growth from a bench player to a key starter.

Daniels' journey to success wasn't without its challenges. He reflected on his early days with the New Orleans Pelicans, saying he “wasn't himself” and took a “backseat role.” However, his trade to Atlanta gave him a fresh start, allowing him to become a full-time starter alongside Trae Young. Daniels credits his success to hard work, the right mindset, and trust in his coaches and teammates.

By winning the Most Improved Player award, Daniels becomes the second Hawk to receive the honor, following Alan Anderson in 1996-97. This achievement marks a significant milestone in Daniels' career, solidifying his position as a key player for the Atlanta Hawks.

Dyson Daniels was named the 2025 NBA Most Improved Player, receiving 44 first-place votes from a global media panel. He became the second Atlanta Hawks player to win the award, following Alan Henderson in 1998. Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers and Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons finished second and third, respectively.

Daniels, nicknamed “The Great Barrier Thief” for his exceptional defensive skills, led the NBA with 229 steals this season, the most since Gary Payton's 1995-96 season. He averaged 3.01 steals per game, the highest since Alvin Robertson's 1990-91 season. Daniels also topped the league with 443 deflections, averaging 5.8 per game. He was also the runner-up for NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Most Improved. Undeniably.

Dyson Daniels is the 2024-25 @Kia Most Improved Player! pic.twitter.com/ztA8sTz7yc

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) April 30, 2025

In his third NBA season and first with Atlanta, Dyson Daniels set career highs, averaging 14.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 49.3% from the floor and 34.0% from three-point range over 76 games.

Daniels joined an elite group, becoming one of only five players in NBA history to average at least 14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals per game in a season, alongside Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Alvin Robertson, and Michael Ray Richardson.

He significantly improved his stats from the previous season, boosting his averages by 8.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.62 steals per game. Daniels' improvement was among the best in NBA history, matched only by Michael Ray Richardson and Eric Murdock, who achieved similar increases in consecutive seasons.