Dalano Banton credits Nebraska, Fred Hoiberg for helping NBA dream come true

While some thought he was making a mistake by keeping his name in the 2021 NBA Draft pool, Nebraska point guard Dalano Banton put a bet on himself with unwavering confidence.

That bet paid off more than he could have ever expected, as the sophomore was selected by his hometown Toronto Raptors with the 46th overall pick in the second round on Thursday night.

The 6-foot-9 sophomore became the second Husker to be drafted in the past three years, joining Isaiah Roby (second round) in 2019. He was also the 11th player drafted from a Fred Hoiberg team.

“It meant a lot,” Banton said. “It’s a dream come true for me. This was something I’ve always worked for, and now I get to live out my dream.”

Banton had been an intriguing prospect on the NBA radar since emerging as a former four-star, top-100 recruit in his native Toronto, Canada.

After transferring to Nebraska from Western Kentucky in 2019, Banton’s lone active season was full of ups and downs. He was one of NU’s best overall players through the first half of 2020-21, including recording the program’s second-ever triple-double.

But when the Huskers had to go on a nearly month-long shutdown due to a COVID-19 outbreak, his play regressed noticeably. Hoiberg demoted Banton from the starting lineup, and his draft stock appeared to plummet in the process.

No national NBA draft analyst had Banton in any mock drafts, even after an impressive showing at the G League Elite Camp.

Banton worked out with several NBA teams leading up to the draft, but not with the Raptors. In fact, he said he’d had little communication with Toronto until they called him Thursday night to tell them he’d been drafted.

He was still trying to process how the stars had aligned the way they did on Friday morning.

“Growing up in Toronto, that’s what you dream of when you play basketball,” Banton said. “You always wanted to be a Raptor. It’s all truly a dream come true and such a blessing.”

Banton hadn’t been able to study the Raptors’ style of play under head coach Nick Nurse too much, but he was confident that his unique skill set and versatility on both ends of the floor would allow him to adapt to any NBA system.

A big reason for that confidence was the experience he gained in his two years at Nebraska playing for Hoiberg.

Banton said many of the drills NBA teams put him through during pre-draft workouts were exactly what he’d already been doing with the Huskers. He also felt like playing in Hoiberg’s five-out offensive scheme provided a seamless transition to the current NBA game.

Banton’s one season as a Husker may not have gone as he’d hoped, but his time in Lincoln was invaluable in helping to make his basketball dream become a reality.

“Coming to Nebraska with the mindset of playing for an NBA coach and an NBA player put me in the best position to become one myself,” Banton said. “Coach Hoiberg put us in positions to run an NBA offense and go through NBA workouts. I feel like that put me a step ahead.

“I just feel like being in an NBA environment for the last two seasons, that prepared me for what it’s going to be like as a professional.”