Where Dyson Daniels hopes to watch World Cup in Australia after Hawks ‘trip’

As it is the internationally infused Atlanta Hawks come out of the All-Star break holding on to last place in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, Dyson Daniels remains laser focused on making noise in the NBA postseason. The one-day cliché is indeed the mantra of this locker room, even though the time zones for their home calls vary widely. However, while the 22-year-old soaks up every moment of the ride, Daniels is already planning an unforgettable summer supporting the Australian Socceroos in 2026. World Cup in football.

“I’m not really into soccer, but I’m going to the World Cup,” Dyson admitted to ClutchPoints. “It’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I’m going to the game in Atlanta. I got to go see Australia play the USA in Seattle. That environment looks pretty cool.”

Atlanta will host the Round of 16, the Round of 16 and the semifinals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, giving Daniels first access to elite matches on his doorstep before returning for Hawks training camp. The game for the Socceroos is a Group D clash against hosts the United States on June 19 at Seattle’s Lumen Field, one of the loudest and most passionate soccer venues in North America.

The Hawks focused on the hardwood

Focus for now stays on task. Daniels is enjoying the best season of his career, averaging 11.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and a stellar 6.3 assists per game while providing his signature lock-down defense. If the Hawks can make it through the playoff gauntlet and secure a playoff spot, the summer break will be well-earned. Fortunately, connecting the dressing rooms was easier because the list looks like a United Nations roll call.

“When you have a lot of Europeans on the team, a lot of internationals, I think we have eight or nine on this (Hawks) team, so we try to play as one under (Quinn Snyder),” Daniels said. “We all have different experiences, different backgrounds. Everyone has their own story. We have encountered different situations. We are enjoying this journey together.”

“That’s how cool basketball is,” Daniels added. “It brings us all together, it brings people from all over the world, so you see things, see perspectives. (Niquel Alexander-Walker), (CJ McCollum), and I had similar experiences in New Orleans, we talked about it, and then with a lot of international guys, we all have similar experiences. It helped us.”

That same spirit of basketball as a connector has Daniels excited about the NBA’s growing global footprint. The NBA’s presence in international markets is something he has watched with particular interest, both as a global ambassador for the sport and as an Australian who knows first-hand what it means for a country to feel connected to the league.

“Yeah, I think it’s really cool. Basketball is a world sport. It was great for the Europeans to experience the (NBA regular season) games,” Dyson explained. “They have a growing culture there, so the NBA games really help.

While his former team, the New Orleans Pelicans, toured Australia for preseason games, Daniels hopes the Land Down Under will soon get the same treatment as Europe.

“Europe got regular season games. Australia got preseason games, but hopefully the NBA will get some regular season games soon,” Daniels suggested. “Some teams start their seasons overseas, partnering with international teams. (Other countries) to experience those regular season games really means something. It’s special.”

It’s a fitting summer for a player who has come to embody exactly what makes the modern NBA so compelling. Whether the postseason journey ends at the NBA Play-Ins or a few weeks later, Dyson Daniels plans to ride the wave of momentum. With Alexander-Walker, Daniels, Asa Newell and Jaylen Johnson leading the way Hawks finally have something ‘special’ in the South that could contend for an appearance in the conference finals next season.