Dyson Daniels Makes History as Kia Defensive Player of the Month

The Great Barrier Thief strikes again! Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels has been named the Kia Defensive Player of the Month for March, marking his second time receiving the honor this season. Daniels, who also earned the award in October/November, becomes just the second player to win multiple times, solidifying his status as one of the NBA’s most elite defenders.

March was nothing short of dominant for Daniels, who led the league with 46 steals—a staggering 14 more than the next closest player. He also topped the NBA in steals per game (3.29), total stocks (51), deflections (75), and loose balls recovered (22), proving to be a relentless defensive force. His historic steal-to-personal foul ratio of 1.58 is the best the league has seen in nearly a decade.

Daniels reached major milestones throughout the month, including his 200th steal of the season in a win over Philadelphia on March 23. At just 22 years old, he became the youngest player in NBA history to hit that mark in a single season, joining legends like Magic Johnson, Chris Paul, and Isiah Thomas. By month’s end, Daniels rewrote the Hawks’ franchise record for most steals in a season (213), surpassing Mookie Blaylock. He also became the first player ever to record 400 deflections in a single season since the NBA began tracking the stat.

With at least one steal in 45 consecutive games, Daniels owns the longest active steal streak in the NBA and continues to dominate with the top three longest multi-steal streaks this season. His defensive excellence has fueled the Hawks’ success, helping them to a 9-5 record in March—their best month since 2022—and their second .600+ win percentage month of the season, a feat they haven’t accomplished since 2015-16.

Averaging 14.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 3.1 steals, Daniels is on pace to become just the fifth player since 1973-74 to put up those numbers in a single season. If he continues this trajectory, he could be the first guard since Michael Jordan in 1987-88 to lead the league in total stocks—a season in which Jordan was named Defensive Player of the Year.

With Daniels anchoring the defense, the Hawks are flying high and proving they’re a team to watch. As he continues to break records and set new standards, Atlanta fans can only wonder: Is Defensive Player of the Year next?

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