The NBA preseason has started after a long break. Fans are excited to see their favorite teams back in action and they were in for a treat as the LA Lakers took on the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves secured a convincing victory 124-107 win. While the spotlight was on the stars, a new name caught the attention of fans—22-year-old shooting guard Daishen Nix. Coming off the bench for Minnesota, Nix delivered an impressive performance, scoring 10 points in just 15 minutes of action.

Daishen Nix has taken a rather unconventional route to the NBA. Most young players in the country follow the college route to get a chance to be drafted into the NBA. Nix skipped college basketball and opted to play in the NBA G League for NBA G League Ignite. “I think it was the right thing for me because it was a family thing and a myself thing,” Nix told the Los Angeles Times. “Playing in the G League is basically getting me ready for the NBA draft. It’s just one step below the NBA.” He thought it would give him a better shot at being picked by a team in the NBA draft. Well, people could say financially it was the right move as he signed a $300,000 contract for a year.

However, it didn’t go as planned for Daishen. No team showed interest in him and he went undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft. Nix was noticed by the Houston Rockets who offered him a two-way contract in 2021. Ultimately, he came within reach of his dream to play in the NBA. Let’s see how he started his journey to the NBA.

High School Career

Daishen Nix was born on February 13, 2002, in Fairbanks, Alaska. He started playing basketball early at Mears Middle School in Anchorage. When he reached eighth grade, Daishen’s mother Mina Tupuola decided it was time for him to move to Las Vegas. It was a decision made to help a young Daishen achieve his basketball dream.

After moving to Vegas where he had extended family. Daishen attended and played for Trinity International School. He was outstanding for his school in his junior year, where he averaged 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. This led his team towards back-to-back National Christian School Athletic Association (NCSAA) Division I titles. He also was awarded the best player of the season following his team’s victory.

In his senior year, Daishen once again shined. He was selected to play in the McDonalds All-American game which was canceled due to Covid-19. He was rated as a five-star recruit by ESPN following his fantastic high school career. Additionally, he had lots of offers but committed to play for UCLA. However, he never did play for them and instead went to play in the NBA G league Ignite.

Professional Career

NBA G League Ignite (2021)

Daishen Nix was signed for one season. Where he played with the NBA developmental team and averaged 8.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. This was supposed to give Daishen the platform to be picked up by an NBA team. Unlike what Daishen thought he went undrafted.

Houston Rockets (2021-2023)

After going undrafted, Nix joined the Philadelphia 76ers for the NBA Summer League. He impressed the Houston Rockets with his performances. This led to the Rockets offering him a two-way deal for the 2021-2022 season. Daishen had to split his time playing for the Rockets and their G League affiliate Rio Grande Valley Vipers. In 2022, Daishen’s deal was converted to a standard deal. He played two seasons for the Rockets where he played 81 games in total. In the first year, he averaged 3.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists. The following season his averages were 4.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.

Minnesota Timberwolves (2023-present)

In 2023 Daishen was waived off from the Rockets. Therefore, He signed a contract with the Timberwolves. The deal was converted into a two-way deal later on. Since then he’s played 15 times for them last season and his numbers were 3.4 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.

Conclusion

Daishen Nix is a talented youngster. He has shown good promise since his high school days and snubbed his chance to play college basketball to play for the NBA G League Ignite. A choice that some might argue didn’t pay off well. Nonetheless, he has made his way to the NBA and is starting to hit good strides. If he keeps up his good performances he can turn his two-way contract with the Timberwolves currently into a standard one and become a part of their roster for the upcoming season.