Jaden McDaniels: From High School Phenom to NBA Standout

Jaden McDaniels has quickly become a notable figure in the world of basketball. From his dominant high school career to his current role with the Minnesota Timberwolves, McDaniels has consistently demonstrated his athletic ability and potential. This article explores his statistical journey, from his college days at Washington to his rise in the NBA.

Early Life and High School Career

Born on September 29, 2000, Jaden McDaniels hails from a family with deep roots in basketball. His father, Will McDaniels, and mother, Angela Jackson, both have Chicago origins. McDaniels's mother is a cousin of former NBA player Juwan Howard. His older brother, Jalen McDaniels, also played basketball for Federal Way High School before being drafted into the NBA.

McDaniels attended Federal Way High School in Federal Way, Washington, where he quickly made a name for himself. As a senior, he averaged 19 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocked shots during the regular season, earning him an Associated Press Washington state Class 4A first-team selection. He was also named to the USA Today and The News Tribune's all-state first team and was the All-City MVP.

During his final campaign, McDaniels helped Federal Way achieve an undefeated 29-0 record and secure a Class 4A state title for the second consecutive year. His outstanding performance led to numerous accolades, including being named a McDonald's All-American and Washington Gatorade Player of the Year.

By the end of his high school career, McDaniels was considered a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2019 class. ESPN and Rivals ranked him among the top 10 players in his class.

Read also: Higher Education for Jaden Smith

College Career at Washington

On May 22, 2019, McDaniels committed to play college basketball for the Washington Huskies. Heading into the college season, he was considered a possible number-one pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

In his collegiate debut at Washington, a 67-64 upset of Baylor, he had 18 points and seven rebounds. He later scored a season-high 22 points against Ball State. As a freshman, McDaniels averaged 13 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while starting 21 games but began coming off the bench midway through conference play.

San Diego State Statistics (2017-2019)

Before his time at Washington, Jaden McDaniels had a successful stint at San Diego State University (SDSU). He played in 67 games over two years, starting in 55 of them. During this period, the Aztecs had a 43-24 record, advanced to the 2018 NCAA tournament, and won the 2018 Mountain West tournament championship.

McDaniels started the final 38 games of his collegiate career, including all 34 contests of his sophomore campaign. SDSU was 34-21 in his 55 career starts and 17-8 in the 25 games in which he scored at least 16 points. Notably, the Aztecs were 8-0 when he scored at least 16 points and added 10 rebounds.

Key Stats and Achievements at SDSU

McDaniels recorded 20 career double-doubles, ranking sixth in school history and second among two-year players, behind Kawhi Leonard. He also had 50 career double-digit scoring games (35-15), 28 games with at least 15 points (20-8), and nine contests with 20 or more points (7-2). He recorded 22 games with 10 or more rebounds (18-4). He led the Aztecs in scoring 22 times, rebounding 40 times, and assists five times.

McDaniels ended his career on several SDSU career charts, including:

6th in efficiency average (16.54)
9th in rebound average (7.90)
16th in field goal percentage (50.4)
22nd in rebounding (529)

From the start of the 2017-18 season, McDaniels was one of 13 players in the nation to play in at least 60 games and average 13 points, 7.5 rebounds, record 100 assists, and shoot at least 50 percent from the field.

Sophomore Season (2018-19)

As a sophomore, McDaniels earned several accolades. He was named NABC District 17 (Mountain West Conference) first-team and second-team all-Mountain West Conference by both the coaches and media. He became the first San Diego State player in program history to earn consecutive Mountain West Conference Player of the Week honors (Jan. 21 and 28).

He helped guide San Diego State to the Mountain West tournament championship game and earned all-tournament accolades. McDaniels played in all 34 games, starting every one. He averaged 15.9 points (2nd on team), 8.3 rebounds (1st), 2.1 assists (3rd), and 1.1 steals (2nd) in 31.0 minutes per game. He also led the team in field goal percentage (46.6), connecting on 93-of-127 free throws (73.2), and 24-of-75 three-point field goals (32.0 percent).

McDaniels recorded 11 double-doubles, tied for the 11th highest single-season total in school history. He posted six straight double-doubles from Jan. 8-30, 2019, averaging 20.7 points and 11.3 rebounds during that stretch. He became just the 35th player in school history to produce a game with at least 30 points when he scored a career-high 30 points in the victory over UNLV on Jan. 26, 2019.

He was one of 13 Division I players to average 15.5 points, eight rebounds, two assists, one steal per game, and connect on 45 percent from the field. In his final 23 games, he averaged 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and connected on 47.6 percent from the field (55.6 percent inside the arc). At the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, he averaged 15.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks.

McDaniels scored a then-career-high 26 points (9-14 FG, 3-5 3FG, 5-8 FT) with eight rebounds and a career-high-tying three blocked shots in SDSU’s 19-point come-from-behind victory vs. Xavier (11-20-18). He made a career-high three three-pointers in the Xavier game after entering the game with just six for his career. He also registered 24 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists against New Mexico, scoring 17 of his 24 in the second half.

In a game against UNLV, he recorded a career-high 30 points, 13 rebounds, five steals, and four assists.

Redshirt Freshman Season (2017-18)

As a redshirt freshman, McDaniels earned all-Mountain West third team recognition from the league media and honorable mention notoriety from the conference head coaches. He was also named to the Wooden Legacy all-tournament team.

He played in all 33 games, starting 21 times. He averaged 10.5 points and a team-best 7.5 rebounds, while shooting an SDSU-high 58.6 percent from the field and 78.8 percent from the free-throw line. McDaniels led the team in Mountain West action in points (226), rebounding (8.5), field-goal percentage (.628), and free throw percentage (.813). He was one of only four freshmen in the country to average 10.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and shoot 58 percent or better from the field.

He ranked second on the team in blocked shots (19) and fourth in steals (27). McDaniels posted 18 double-figure scoring games, 11 double-digit rebounding efforts, and nine double-doubles, leading the team in the latter two categories. He also led the team in scoring nine times and in rebounding 18 times.

McDaniels finished first in the school's Division I freshman record book after making 78.8 percent of his free throw attempts. He also finished second in field-goal percentage (.586), third in rebounds (248), free throws (89), and efficiency points (519).

In his final 26 games, he connected on 117-of-189 field-goal attempts (61.9 percent), while averaging 12.2 points and 8.2 rebounds. He posted his first career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds vs. Bradley (12-3-17). McDaniels led the team with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while adding a career-high two steals vs. No. 12/15 Gonzaga (12-21-17). He started his first career game at Wyoming (12-27-17) and produced six points and a team-high 10 rebounds.

He led the team with 14 points and 13 rebounds vs. Fresno State (1-17-18) and all players with 18 points on a career-high eight field goals, and 12 rebounds, while adding three assists vs. UNLV (2-17-18). McDaniels was named MW Player of the Week on Feb. 19, after averaging 17.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 steals in wins over Wyoming and UNLV. He led the team with 16 points (career-high 10-10 FT), a game-high 10 rebounds, and a career-high three blocked shots at San José State (2-24-18).

Redshirt Season (2016-17)

McDaniels was a member of the scout team and part of the travel squad for a majority of the season. He was named the 2016-17 preseason Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year and played in the exhibition season.

NBA Career

In the 2020 NBA draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected McDaniels in the first round with the 28th overall selection. He was later traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Minnesota Timberwolves

McDaniels made his NBA debut with the Timberwolves and has since become an integral part of the team. On October 23, 2023, he signed a five-year contract extension with the Timberwolves worth $136 million.

During a game on November 14, McDaniels was involved in an on-court altercation that resulted in ejections and suspensions. However, he has continued to develop as a player, showcasing his defensive skills and offensive potential.

In the 2024-25 season, McDaniels began to take an offensive leap, notching a career-high 30 points in a 114-98 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers on February 8, 2025. He was also instrumental in the Timberwolves' historic 25-point comeback against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 24, converting a three-point play to send the game to overtime.

McDaniels has also garnered recognition for his defensive abilities, earning a spot on the 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Defensive teams.

NBA Statistics and Impact

McDaniels has proven to be a valuable asset to the Timberwolves. He consistently demonstrates his ability to contribute on both ends of the court. His defensive prowess and improving offensive game make him a player to watch in the NBA.

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