NBA
DG
#21

Daniel Gafford

Center · Dallas Mavericks · 6-10, 265 lb · Born October 1, 1998 · El Dorado, Arkansas · Drafted 2019 Round 2, Pick 38 (Chicago Bulls)
70% FG Career2024 FinalistRim Protector
NBADallas MavericksCenters
Compare:vs Williamsvs Flaggvs IIvs Thompsonvs Christievs Marshall
In short

Daniel Gafford is a 6-foot-10 Dallas Mavericks center and elite lob-finishing rim protector who shoots roughly 70% for his career, reached the 2024 NBA Finals with Dallas, and once made 33 consecutive field goals — the second-longest such streak in NBA history.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceFri, Nov 13
vsDetroit PistonsAggressive hedge & help
Proj. points
9.6
range 6.9–12.3
Line 9.5
51%
to go over
Team win
60%
113–111
Poi 9.6 Lean overReb 6.9 Lean underAss 1.1 Lean overPRA 17.6 Lean over
Likely on himJalen Duren· 76 Rim protectionSolid defender
5+ pts94%10+ pts45%15+ pts4%

Model lines Gafford at 9.6 pts (range 6.9–12.3) vs a 9.5 line — roughly a coin flip to clear it (51%).

Biggest edge: venue — home floor — small boost.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Gafford
The Gafford Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
🔊 Prototype uses your browser's built-in voice. Production would use a studio-grade AI narrator.

Daniel Gafford is proof that a rim-runner who knows his job can matter deep into June.

A 38th pick out of Arkansas, he barely played in Chicago before a trade to Washington turned him into a full-time rotation center.

Dallas landed him at the 2024 deadline, and he shot 78% down the stretch as a lob threat next to Luka Dončić on the way to the NBA Finals.

Along the way he made 33 straight field goals — the second-longest streak in NBA history behind only Wilt Chamberlain — the ultimate testament to his finishing.

— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
9.5
2025-26
RPG
6.9
per game
APG
1.1
per game
FG%
.655
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A rim-running, shot-blocking center out of Arkansas, Daniel Gafford turned a second-round pedigree into one of the NBA's most efficient interior finishers and a Finals-level lob threat in Dallas.

Gafford was born October 1, 1998 in El Dorado, Arkansas, and starred at the University of Arkansas, where he was named Mr. Basketball of Arkansas in high school and First-Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive in 2019 before declaring as a sophomore.

Chicago took him 38th overall in 2019. His role was modest with the Bulls, but a mid-2021 trade to Washington unlocked him — he became a full-time rotation big and posted a career-best stretch in 2023-24.

The Mavericks acquired him at the February 2024 deadline, and he was an immediate fit next to Luka Dončić — a 78%-shooting lob finisher who helped Dallas reach the 2024 Finals. He signed a three-year extension in 2025.

Sources: Wikipedia, ESPN, Basketball-Reference.

BEYOND THE GAME

Off the Court

Gafford is an avid anime fan — Black Clover in particular — with anime-inspired tattoos and a dog named after the character Mereoleona Vermillion.

His game is built on relentless energy and rim-running rather than flash, a reflection of a player who maximized a second-round opportunity through effort and efficiency.

PERSONALITY

The person

High-motor, efficient and unselfish, Gafford knows exactly what he is — a rim-runner and protector — and does it at an elite level.

Lob MagnetCareer ~70% shooter who finishes everything above the rim.
Rim Deterrent1.5 blocks per game for his career, 2.2 in his best season.
Role ClarityNo wasted possessions — plays entirely within his strengths.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Rim-Running Center · Lob Threat
Temperament
Steady
Leadership
58/100
Scoring57
Playmaking36
Rebounding83
Perimeter D60
Rim protection82
Spacing35
Athleticism70
Clutch62
a rim-running, shot-blocking lob threat
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

Elite Finisher

Gafford is a vertical lob threat and rim-runner who converts a huge share of his attempts; his ~70% career field-goal percentage is among the best for any high-volume big.

Rim Protection

A genuine deterrent at the basket, averaging 1.5 blocks for his career and peaking at 2.2 in 2023-24 — the defensive anchor a creator-heavy offense needs.

Spacing Trade-off

He offers no perimeter shooting, so his offense lives entirely at the rim off passes and offensive boards; that makes him an ideal complement rather than a hub.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-265521.79.56.91.1.655

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

Career FG%~70%
Streak33 straight FG made
2024NBA Finals run

Hardware

SEC
All-SEC 1st Team 2019
Finals
2024 (runner-up)
70%
Career FG
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated 2026

A locked-in starting center on a fresh extension.

Gafford signed a three-year extension (reported ~$54M) in summer 2025 that runs through 2028-29. He remains Dallas's efficient rim-running, rim-protecting anchor — a low-usage, high-value big who thrives next to shot creation.

FinishingElite
Rim ProtectionStrong
Shooting RangeNone

Contract

Deal
3 yr / ~$54M Through 2028-29
Bottom line

One of the league's most efficient bigs — a lob-and-block specialist locked in as Dallas's starting center.

FAQ

Quick answers

Where was Daniel Gafford drafted?

38th overall (second round) in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls.

How did Gafford end up in Dallas?

The Mavericks acquired him from Washington at the February 2024 trade deadline, and he reached the NBA Finals with them that spring.

Is Daniel Gafford a three-point shooter?

No — his scoring comes almost entirely at the rim on lobs, dunks and putbacks, which is why he shoots around 70% for his career.

What is Gafford's most remarkable record?

He made 33 consecutive field goals in March 2024, the second-longest such streak in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain.