Dyson Daniels continued to showcase his defensive prowess in the Atlanta Hawks‘ 123-110 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night. The Australian guard made a significant impact, tallying four steals and two blocks to help propel his team to its fourth consecutive win as it pushes for a playoff berth.
Beyond the victory, Daniels reached a major defensive milestone, climbing to the top of the NBA in combined steals and blocks—known as “stocks.” His six defensive counting stats on the night pushed his season total to 229, surpassing Victor Wembanyama’s 228 (176 blocks, 52 steals).
Daniels has already been dominant in steals, leading the league with 184, holding an extraordinary gap over second-place Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has 114. His 45 blocks rank eighth among all guards, further highlighting his two-way impact.
With Wembanyama sidelined for the remainder of the season due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, Daniels is poised to widen his lead atop multiple defensive categories. He already paces the league in total deflections (362), averaging an impressive six per game.
This season has been historic for Daniels, as his 184 steals are the most by any player since Ricky Rubio recorded 191 in the 2013-14 campaign. However, Rubio achieved that mark across 82 games and 2,638 minutes, while Daniels has reached his current tally in just 61 games and 2,073 minutes. Barring an unexpected setback, he is on track to surpass Rubio before the season’s end.
The all-time single-season steals record belongs to Alvin Robertson, who notched 301 in 1985-86. Daniels, with his current pace, could eclipse Michael Jordan’s 223-steal season in 1990-91 to break into the top 25 all-time.
Since arriving in Atlanta via trade from the New Orleans Pelicans last summer, Daniels has thrived in multiple facets of the game. He is posting career-highs across the board, averaging 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and three steals per game while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from three-point range.
At just 21 years old (22 on March 17), Daniels is cementing himself as one of the league’s premier perimeter defenders, making his presence felt in the Hawks’ playoff push.