29 June 2022
When the New Orleans Pelicans announced Australian Dyson Daniels as their pick at No 8 in the US National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft, it marked a major milestone in the teenager’s already impressive career.
The Australian Sports Commission is proud to have been able to support his career from grassroots through to the elite level.
Hailing from Bendigo, Victoria, Daniels became the second Australian in two years to be drafted in the top 10, following Josh Giddey’s 2021 draft to the Oklahoma City Thunder (6th selection).
Daniels trained at the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence and NBA Global Academy athlete at the AIS in Canberra and his teammates gathered on Friday to celebrate the achievement.
The 19-year-old’s rise to the elite level of the game started in junior competitions in Australia, with help from Sport Australia’s Local Sporting Champions grants program.
Local Sporting Champions provides financial assistance for eligible coaches, officials and competitors aged 12-18 participating in state, national or international championships.
Daniels first accessed the grants to help cover the costs of travelling from regional Victoria to WA to compete at the U14 Australian Junior Championships. He later accessed the program in 2017 and 2018 to attend U16 championships in WA, and Queensland and U20 championships in Queensland in 2021.
Successful applicants can receive $500, with additional amounts depending on the distance required to travel or if they are based in a rural area.
Other star athletes who have used the grants to help achieve their sporting dreams include Giddey, tennis champion Ash Barty, Olympic snowboarder Adam Lambert, swimmers Ariarne Titmus, Jasmine Greenwood and Kyle Chalmers, rugby players Noah Lolesio and Arabella McKenzie and surfer Ellia Smith.
Read more about the Local Sporting Champions grants and how to apply.
