Ever since he stepped foot on the international stage, Dash Daniels has proven time and time again that he\u2019s one of the best defenders for his age in the world.<\/p>\n
The recent 2026 adidas Eurocamp was no different, where the talented teenager claimed the tournament\u2019s Best Defender award after helping the NBL Next Stars team win the Final.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt means a lot to me to be the Defensive Player of the Tournament,\u201d Daniels said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the best part of my game, and I continue to put time and effort into that end of the floor.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, it\u2019s kind of an expectation that I give myself to be the best defensive player in every game I play.<\/p>\n
\u201c[In saying that] I\u2019m super grateful and happy I got the award.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the final, the Next Stars team, also featuring South East Melbourne\u2019s Malique Lewis, edged Eurocamp 1 66-62 in Treviso, Italy, in a result that Daniels says he\u2019ll remember for some time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very special to win the championship in a tournament like this against some of the best up-and-coming talent in the world,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be able to do it with fellow Next Stars is pretty cool. Getting to know them personally and play with them, as well as some great players from around Australia that I haven\u2019t had the chance to play with [was a special experience].\u201d\u200d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
As well as being a standout on the defensive end, Daniels also proved his playmaking abilities, finishing equal-third for the tournament in assists per game (3.7).<\/p>\n
\u201cI played well defensively and was a facilitator, making plays offensively, but I know there are many areas I could have been much better in,\u201d Daniels said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a team, I thought it was a great tournament and I thought we improved in every game we played in, which is important in competitions like these that are only three games long.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reason we were so successful could have been many things, but for me, it was our experience and physicality that we played with throughout the tournament that helped us get the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n