On behalf of the Atlanta Hawks, we thank you for your consideration of Dyson Daniels (Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player), Zaccharie Risacher (Rookie of the Year) and Trae Young (Clutch Player of the Year). Please see the below notes and stats, highlighting the accomplishments of Dyson, Zacch and Trae (updated as of 4/13).
Defensive Player of the Year
Dyson Daniels
- Led the entire NBA in total steals (229) and steals per game (3.01) ... Owns the most steals in a single season in franchise history.
- Owned 98 more steals than the next closest player (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 131) ... His 98-steal gap between himself and Gilgeous-Alexander is the same gap as Gilgeous-Alexander (2nd) and the nine players tied for the 265th-most steals in the league this season.
- His 98-steal lead is the largest between No. 1 and No. 2 in NBA history, per Elias Sports ... Entering this season, the largest gap between No. 1 and No. 2 was Alvin Robertson (301 steals) over Maurice Cheeks (207 steals) for a difference of 94 steals in 1985-86 ... Robertson was named Defensive Player of the Year that season.
- Owned 297 total stops this season (steals + blocks + offensive fouls drawn), the most by any player in NBA this season.
- Youngest player to 200 steals in a single season since at least the 1973-74 season, and the fifth player to do so prior to turning 23-years-old, joining Magic Johnson, Chris Paul, Isiah Thomas and Dudley Bryant.
- First player since Scottie Pippen (1994-95) to have 200+ steals and 50+ blocks in a single season and one of only seven players since 1973-74 to do so, joining Hall-of-Famers Clyde Drexler (3x), Michael Jordan (6x), Hakeem Olajuwon and Scottie Pippen (3x), as well as Ron Harper and Alvin Robertson.
- Third player since 2000 to tally 200+ steals in a single season, joining Chris Paul (2x) and Allen Iverson.
- Owns the most steals by any player in a single NBA season in the 21st century ... Owns the most steals since Gary Payton in 1995-96 (231), a season in which Payton was named Defensive Player of the Year.
- Has the longest steal streak in the NBA (52 straight games) since the 2017-18 season (Victor Oladipo).
- First player to average at least 3.0 steals in a single season since 1990-91 (Alvin Robertson).
- First guard to lead the NBA in stocks (steals + blocks) since Michael Jordan in 1987-88 (Jordan was named Defensive Player of the Year that season).
- First player since Rajon Rondo (2010-11) to have a steal/foul ratio of 1.2-or-higher (min. 150 steals).
- Led Atlanta to top 10 defensive rating improvement from 2023-24 to 2024-25 (118.4 drtg to 114.8 drtg).
- Owns the most 4+ steal games (27) in the NBA since 1993-94 (Nate McMillan) and the most 5+ steal games (14) since 2010-11 (Chris Paul).
- Tallied 443 total deflections, the most in a single season since the league began tracking the stat.
- Recovered 79 loose balls during the 2024-25 campaign, the second-most by any player in the NBA.
- Inaugural Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month and one of only two players to be named a two-time Defensive Player of the Month (October/November and March).
Dyson Daniels delivers the game-winning steal and assist to Caris LeVert who scores game-winning bucket at the buzzer
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Zaccharie Risacher
- Ranked top 5 in total points, field goals and three-pointers (among rookies).
- Only teenager in NBA history to have multiple 30-point, 0-turnover games.
- Owned the most 30-point games by any rookie this season.
- Tied most games with 30+ points and 5+ triples by a teenager in NBA history.
- Netted 38 points (15-20 FGM, 6-11 3FGM) in win over Brooklyn on 4/10, the most points by a rookie this season ... Per Stathead, became the first rookie in NBA history to finish a game with 35+ points on .750 FG% / .500 3FG% splits (min. 20 FGA, 10 3FGA).
- Scored 36 points against the Milwaukee Bucks on 3/30, becoming just the 10th teenager in NBA history to score at least 36 points in a single game.
- From October through December: 10.8 points on .399/.289/.697 splits ... January through present day: 14.0 points on .501 FG%, .401 3FG% and .726 FT% (only rookie averaging 14.0 PPG on .500/.400/.700 splits over that time).
- Only rookie in the month of March to average at least 16.0 points on .500%-or-better from the field ... Owned the seventh-best FG% amongst all NBA players that month (min. 160 FGA).
- Averaged the most points per game by a rookie starting on a postseason team (playoff or play-in).
- Highest offensive rating (112.3) by an Eastern Conference rookie (min. 65 GP).
- Owned the best TS% (.607%) and second-best eFG% (.591%) amongst all rookies who appeared in at least 30 games since 1/1 (min. 25 mpg).
- February Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month and March Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month ... The only rookie this season to win the award in consecutive months.
CLUTCH PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Trae Young
- Buried three game-winning shots, the most by any player in the NBA this season (final 10 seconds of fourth quarter or overtime, per Elias Sports).
- Knocked down the longest game-winning buzzer-beater of the season on 1/7 at Utah, per basketball-reference (49 feet).
- Owned a +34 in clutch games this season, the highest by an Eastern Conference player in the league and fourth-highest amongst all players (min. 35 clutch games).
- Had the highest Player Impact Estimate (PIE) amongst all Eastern Conference players who played in 35 clutch games (18.5).
- Led the NBA in total clutch assists and free throws, while ranking third in total clutch points and made three-pointers.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
DYSON DANIELS
- Averaged career highs in points per game (14.1), rebounds per game (5.9), assists per game (4.4), steals per game (3.01), blocks per game (0.72), field goal percentage (.493%) and three-point percentage (.340%).
- Increases from 2023-24 to 2024-25: +8.3 PPG, +2.0 RPG, +1.7 APG, + 1.62 SPG, +0.31 BPG, +.046 FG%, +.029 3FG%.
- Third player since at least 1973-74 to own increases of +8.0 PPG, +2.0 RPG, +1.5 APG and 1.5 SPG from one season to the next, per Elias Sports (min. 50 games played).
- Became just the fifth player since 1973-74 to average at least 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals in a single season, joining Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Michael Ray Richardson (2x) and Alvin Robertson (4x).
- Has scored 20+ points 12 times in his career (all this season) and 10+ points 78 times in his career (60 this season).
- Owned 13 games with 10+ points and 5+ steals this season, the most since 1996-97 (Mookie Blaylock: 13).