Manchester Giants are delighted to announce the signing of 6’7 American centre Dantiel Daniels ahead of the 2019-20 British Basketball League (BBL) campaign.
The 27-year-old Missouri native enjoyed a stellar NCAA Division 1 college career, graduating in 2016 after racking up close to 1,000 points and 650 rebounds, firstly at Southern Illinois Salukis and latterly with Colorado State Rams. In total, he played 121 NCAA Division 1 games, starting in 114 of those before playing professionally in Finland and Uruguay.
Giants’ head coach, Danny Byrne, said:”Tiel was our top target in this position, and I couldn’t be happier that he has chosen Giants. He has all of the skills and attributes that we look for in a big guy within our system, and will have an excellent opportunity to flourish with us. He’s a great guy, and will fit right in with the Giants family in Manchester.
“As well as sheer hard work and physicality at both ends of the floor, Tiel brings a very high basketball IQ. He is extremely clever in the way he uses his body, finishes at a very high percentage, and I expect him to be a focal point for us.”
Tiel Daniels said: “I’m looking forward to coming to Manchester, and bringing energy and effort to the Giants. I play hard and give it everything I have when I hit the floor. Fans can expect me to be energetic and relentless.”
“We’ll be a new group, so my ambition for us this season is to grow as a team as the season progresses, and ultimately become champions!”
In 2015-16 – his Senior season with the Rams – he averaged 9.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, shooting 62% from the field, as an All-Mountain West Honourable Mention who led the conference in offensive boards. That year he helped Colorado State to the Mountain West Championship semi-finals after posting a quarter-final double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds.
After graduating, Daniels joined perennial Finnish powerhouse Vilpas Vikings, where he recorded an average of 7 points and 4 rebounds per game in 17 minutes of action, before moving to Pernion Urheilijat Basket, also in Finland. There he was the league’s eighth leading scorer with 23 points per game, and second leading rebounder with 14 rebounds per outing.
In 2018, Daniels joined Atletico Tabare in Uruguay where he once more averaged a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds per game, after making an immediate impact when he shot 9-9 from the field and 6-6 at the free-throw line for 24 points on his debut.
The globetrotting big man has also played professionally on summer tours in China, and all of this while successfully completing his Master’s Degree in 2019, also at Colorado State.