Aussie Dyson Daniels was taken by New Orleans Pelicans at No. 8 in the NBA draft

Australian Dyson Daniels has been selected by the New Orleans Pelicans at No. 8 in the 2022 NBA draft.

Daniels had for some time been promoted as a top 10 chance, thus it demonstrated when NBA commissioner Adam Silver uncovered the Pelicans’ pick.

Daniels’ selection proceeds with a run of Australian picks in recent years, with Josh Giddey chose by Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 6 in 2021 while Josh Green went to the Dallas Mavericks at No. 18 in 2020.

Daniels had spent the previous season improving his abilities with the NBA G-League Ignite.

The Bendigo-born guard has already addressed Australia at junior age level and actually wants to join the Boomers and push for future Olympic and World Cup achievement.

He said he can hardly hold on to get to attempt to assist the Pelicans with enhancing their playoff run from this past season.

“That’s huge, they made a really big step last year making the playoffs and did well,” he said.

“Joining this team, I can help them do better in the playoffs. I’m a winner, I hate losing so I’ll do whatever they need and I can definitely step into some roles and contribute straight away.

“I am just so happy … to be a Pelican, there’s no better place. I can’t wait to get to work. This is crazy.”

The primary pick in Thursday’s draft brought the first mild surprise, when the Orlando Magic picked Duke forward Paolo Banchero with the No.1 selection, following weeks of speculation that Auburn’s Jabari Smith Jr or Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren may be the ones on Orlando’s list.

Smith went to the Houston Rockets with pick No.3 while Holmgren (No.2) will join Giddey at Oklahoma City, who additionally handled a NBL graduate at pick No.11.

French NBL Next Stars product Ousmane Dieng, the New Zealand Breakers import, was taken by the New York Knicks and afterward quickly traded for future first-round picks.

NBA DRAFT TOP 10