Banton Signs with Boston Celtics

Former Husker men’s basketball player Dalano Banton signed with the Boston Celtics on July 16.

Banton spent the last two years with the Toronto Raptors after being a second-round draft pick (No. 46 overall) by the organization in 2021. He played in 95 games over the last two seasons, helping Toronto to the NBA Playoffs in 2022.

In 2022-23, he played in 31 games, averaging 4.6 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. He had a career-high 27 points in a win at Detroit. As a rookie, he appeared in 64 contests for the Raptors, averaging 3.2 points and 1.5 assists per game. He also represented Team Canada at the FIBA Americup, earning a spot on the all-tournament team in helping Canada to a fourth-place finish.

Banton spent two seasons at Nebraska after transferring from Western Kentucky. After sitting out the 2019-20 campaign, Banton played in all 27 games, including 22 starts, for the Huskers in 2020-21, averaging 9.6 points per game while leading the Huskers in both rebounding (5.9) and assists (3.9) per game. Banton finished in the top 20 in the Big Ten in assists (ninth), blocked shots (15th) and rebounding (18th) and became the first Husker since 1974 to lead NU in both rebounding and assists in the same season.  He posted the second triple-double in school history with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in just 21 minutes against Doane and totaled 14 games in double figures.

Banton will join former Husker Sam Griesel on Boston’s Summer League team this week. In all, five Huskers will be participating in the Las Vegas Summer League which begins action on Friday night.