Known for his elite two-way game, Jaden McDaniels is a starting small forward for the Minnesota Timberwolves as of May 2025. He was drafted in the 2020 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 28th overall pick. However, he was traded to the Timberwolves on the same day. Before the NBA, McDaniels was a five-star athlete at Federal Way High School, and later he played at the University of Washington, where he had a one-and-done season in 2019-20.
As a rookie, McDaniels averaged 6.8 points, but in the 2023/24 NBA season, McDaniels improved to 10.5 points per game. In the 2023/24 NBA season, McDaniels made it to the NBA All-Defensive second team. In the 2024 playoffs, McDaniels showcased his best lockdown defence as the Timberwolves reached the Western Conference finals. In the 2024 playoffs, Jaden McDaniels averaged 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.9 blocks, and shot 51.4% from the field. In the 2023 off-season, Jaden McDaniels signed a five-year, $131 million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Who is Jaden McDaniels’s sibling?
Jaden McDaniels has one older brother, Jalen McDaniels, who is also a professional basketball player. Jalen was born on January 31, 1998, while Jaden was born on September 29, 2000, in Seattle, Washington. Jalen McDaniels started playing basketball at Federal Way High School in Federal Way, Washington and emerged as a four-star athlete. Both McDaniels brothers were teammates at Federal Way High School from 2015 to 2017. In 2017, Jalen McDaniels started playing college basketball for the San Diego State Aztecs, where he played from 2017 to 2019. Jaden followed Jalen and played for the Aztecs in the 2019-20 season.
Jalen McDaniels entered the NBA Draft in 2019 and was selected by the Charlotte Hornets as the 52nd overall pick in the second round. Throughout his NBA career, Jalen was mostly utilized as an off-the-bench wing player. Jalen played for the Charlotte Hornets until 2023, and in February 2023, he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. Later, he signed a multi-year contract with the Toronto Raptors in the 2023 off-season, who traded him to the Sacramento Kings in the 2024 off-season. As of May 2025, Jalen McDaniels is a free agent, following a trade from the Sacramento Kings to the San Antonio Spurs, who have waived Jalen McDaniels.
Jaden vs Jalen McDaniels Matchups in the NBA
The McDaniels brothers, Jaden and Jalen, have faced each other a total of five times in NBA games, as of May 2025. Jalen McDaniels holds a winning record of 4-1 over Jaden.
In their first encounter during the 2020-21 NBA season on March 3, 2021, Jaden played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, while Jalen was with the Charlotte Hornets. In that game, Jaden scored 5 points along with 7 rebounds and 2 assists, while Jalen contributed 2 points and 1 rebound. Yet, the Hornets emerged victorious with a final score of 135-102.
Over their five encounters, Jaden McDaniels has averaged 4.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.4 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game. Meanwhile, older brother, Jalen McDaniels, has averaged 8.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. These averages highlight Jalen's role as a more prolific scorer in their matchups, while Jaden's defensive contributions add value to his game.
Jaden McDaniels' Parents
Jaden and Jalen McDaniels' parents are Will McDaniels and Angela Jackson.
FAQs on Jaden McDaniels' Siblings
A. Timberwolves star Jaden McDaniels is 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 meters) tall.
A. McDaniels played college basketball for the University of Washington for one season.
A. No, Jalen is the older brother of Jaden McDaniels, who is a free agent, as of May 2025.
A. Jaden McDaniels will earn $23,017,242 for the 2024/25 NBA season.
