Player Profile: DeAndre Daniels

Looking Back:  DeAndre Daniels was the odd man out last year because the wing position was a no man’s land due to the three guard lineup.  Calhoun used him sparingly and Daniels never got the consistent minutes he needed to grow some confidence, averaging only 12 minutes a game.  When he did get his opportunities, he was trigger happy with the three ball with 50 out of his 91 shots from deep and they weren’t dropping, hitting a paltry .240, but it wasn’t a total lost year for him.  He got some valuable on the court experience, played with some NBA talent along side himself, and got a good sampling of Calhoun’s coaching style which will aid him in his next couple of years.

The Good:  He has a fluidity to his game and looks comfortable with the ball in his hands.  He has a nice outside shot, but with his limited amounts of attempts, he wasn’t able to make the most out of them.  He has shown an ability to drive the basketball, which gives him an edge on Giffey in that department, and he has an above the rim game.  He hits free throws, making 80% of them, but he only took 25 attempts.  He is also an underrated defensive player, having 18 blocks which is more than Tyler Olander, and had 11 steals.

The Bad:  He could use some more size to get comfortable with banging inside for rebounds which will be an important role for him next year.  He barely averaged 2 rebounds a game and needs to increase that number, because he will not be the major focus of the offense and will have to do the little things to warrant minutes.  He also needs to rely less on the outside shot and be able to knock down that 15-footer.  Turnovers have also plagued him, having 22 turnovers which averages out a turnover every 17 minutes of play.

Looking Ahead: The minutes will be there for the taking if Daniels is willing to step up and seize them.  He’ll need to show an ability to rebound, score in or around the paint, and play good perimeter defense.  This is a big year for him and a golden opportunity for him to seize a major role on this team.  He’ll have a leg up on the his competition with a solid year under his belt and he should prove a pivotal role in the rotation by season’s end.