To say that William and Mary men’s basketball has faced a difficult offseason in the transfer portal would be an understatement.
With significant departures — including junior guard Reese Miller, junior forward Tunde Vahlberg Fasasi and junior forward Kilian Brockhoff — head coach Brian Earl and his staff are actively searching for players to fill the outgoing production. Ultimately, the Tribe was lucky enough to land its hands on sophomore guard Nilavan Daniels.
Daniels’ love for basketball stretches back to his childhood. His alma mater, Chaminade College Preparatory School in St. Louis, Mo., has produced many notable alumni, including Boston Celtics forward Jason Tatum, Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal and former San Antonio Spurs power guard David Lee.
During his senior year of high school, Daniels earned the title of conference player of the year and made the all-state team. However, he faced a setback when he did not receive any Division I offers.
“I took a post-grad year at Linkier in Branson, Mo., and then was there for eight months,” Daniels said.
Daniels then found his home at Providence, where he played as a point guard.
“I have loved my last two years here,” Daniels said. “I think the school is really great.”
Coming from a Catholic high school, Providence’s Catholic environment appealed to Daniels.
“It is a very tight-knit community, and I feel like I’ve built great relationships here,” he said.
As an athlete, Daniels has felt supported by the Providence community. As Daniels started to play more, he felt touched by the packed-out arenas and electric energy.
“It was much more fulfilling to me to feel that I could actually impact the team on the court, and we won Big East games with me on the court, which helped my confidence,” Daniels said.
During his time at Providence, Daniels learned to live independently outside the comfort of home.
“You have to grow up a bit, you have to go to class on time, you have to practice on time, eat, etcetera,” he said.
Daniels’ limited role during his time at Providence also taught him how to adapt to new — and sometimes difficult — circumstances.
“I went from being the guy in high school to being the 15th man on a college team,” Daniels said. “I have been through every situation, [and] I think I am prepared for every situation.”
Daniels described himself as a nitty-gritty athlete who prefers to play with no agenda.
“I am very coachable,” Daniels said. “I’m willing to make those diving plays for a loose ball or take charge. I take this game very seriously.”
Daniels recognizes his shooting ability, whether it is off the dribble or in catch-and-shoot situations. During the 2025-26 season, he recorded a 47.6% three-point shooting clip.
Daniels believes that he has what it takes to be a natural-born leader.
“The Lord’s given me the ability to really speak to teammates and hold people accountable while holding myself accountable, of course, but also encouraging them and bringing a team to a shared common goal,” Daniels said.
Despite his success on the court, Daniels said he has faced discrimination due to his South Asian identity.
“I have experienced racist comments on the court from fans and from players,” Daniels said. “It is disappointing being told that you cannot be good at basketball because you look a certain way.”
However, Daniels remains committed to blocking as much outside noise as possible.
“I do not have Twitter, I value my self-esteem too much to read through those comments,” he said.
Upon entering the transfer portal, Daniels found himself compelled to call William and Mary his new home. He said the Tribe checked his boxes in terms of coaching staff, team dynamics and academics.
Daniels looks forward to building a strong relationship with the rest of the team.
“They had a want for me, and I had a want for what they emulated in their program,” Daniels said. “I think it’s a very free-flowing system. They don’t need me to play one-on-one to score, but rather trust in my teammates, make the right play and allow the game to come to us as one unit.”
