Banton's a Raptor

[huskerbill85]

12 hours ago, tcp said:

 

so would I. 

Can I have your autograph?

[Dead Dog Alley]

For the life of me, I cannot figure out what the title of this thread means.  Banton in Flux?

 

I mean, what?

 

[AuroranHusker]

42 minutes ago, Dead Dog Alley said:

For the life of me, I cannot figure out what the title of this thread means.  Banton in Flux?

 

I mean, what?

 

 

 

It was supposed to mean his status is apt to change. It's "in flux."

 

[Art Vandalay]

Does not look like he was invited to the combine

[Huskerpapa]

I would hope this is a sign for him to come back to Nebraska --- but who knows.

[hhcmatt]

He's brought up in a couple of places.  The SI scout on him seems pretty thorough. 

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-combine-invitations-suggest-could-110741019.html

https://www.si.com/nba/2021/06/14/2021-nba-draft-sleepers-jason-preston-raiquan-gray

 

[Swan88]

Here are a couple blurbs on Delano Banton from the links above.

 

1.  This is from an article titled, "NBA combine invitations suggest who could be heading back to the NCAA":

"Nebraska's Dalano Banton, recently described by SI.com's Jeremy Woo as one of the most underrated players in this class, was one of the last players to announce he was declaring early entry for the NBA draft. That made it hard for him to get enough votes to earn a trip to the combine." 

 

2.  This is from an article titled, "The Biggest NBA Draft Sleepers, Five underappreciated prospects to watch for as the draft approaches":

"A native of Toronto, Banton has spent much of his career flying under the radar, and he enters the draft as a fascinating deep cut, albeit a long shot to be drafted. The point forward was a top-100 recruit, but landed at Western Kentucky as a freshman in 2018–19, sitting out the following season while transferring to Nebraska, and posting pedestrian counting stats (9.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists) on a team that went 7–20. He snuck into this year’s draft, declaring just before the early-entry deadline with little fanfare. At surface level, last season’s shooting splits don’t pop at all shooting 49.6% on twos, 24.1% on 79 three-point attempts and 66% from the foul line. On the brighter side, he led Nebraska in assist rate (27.5%) and shot 60.3% around the rim, per Barttorvik.com data.

For better or worse, much of the intrigue with Banton centers around the oft-maligned eye test. But if you’re an NBA team willing to take a flier on a player who can’t really shoot, investing in a huge, skilled passer is a pretty interesting thing to consider. Banton’s broad shoulders and long arms pop immediately on film, and his height gives him legitimate functionality using ball screens, able to see over defenders and giving him access to passing angles that smaller handlers don’t have. He delivers the ball well using a variety of passes, and his size allows him to rebound, push in transition and help facilitate early offense. Banton has a long stride that helps him cover ground quickly, and, while not particularly explosive, he has a workable degree of pace as a handler and gets good extension in the paint on finishes. His overall feel for moving the ball stands out immediately, even as bad as Nebraska was this season. The playmaking seems bankable as an NBA-level skill."

[basketballjones]

That’s a pretty fair assessment 

[Coaches kid]

4 hours ago, Swan88 said:

Here are a couple blurbs on Delano Banton from the links above.

 

1.  This is from an article titled, "NBA combine invitations suggest who could be heading back to the NCAA":

"Nebraska's Dalano Banton, recently described by SI.com's Jeremy Woo as one of the most underrated players in this class, was one of the last players to announce he was declaring early entry for the NBA draft. That made it hard for him to get enough votes to earn a trip to the combine." 

 

2.  This is from an article titled, "The Biggest NBA Draft Sleepers, Five underappreciated prospects to watch for as the draft approaches":

"A native of Toronto, Banton has spent much of his career flying under the radar, and he enters the draft as a fascinating deep cut, albeit a long shot to be drafted. The point forward was a top-100 recruit, but landed at Western Kentucky as a freshman in 2018–19, sitting out the following season while transferring to Nebraska, and posting pedestrian counting stats (9.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists) on a team that went 7–20. He snuck into this year’s draft, declaring just before the early-entry deadline with little fanfare. At surface level, last season’s shooting splits don’t pop at all shooting 49.6% on twos, 24.1% on 79 three-point attempts and 66% from the foul line. On the brighter side, he led Nebraska in assist rate (27.5%) and shot 60.3% around the rim, per Barttorvik.com data.

For better or worse, much of the intrigue with Banton centers around the oft-maligned eye test. But if you’re an NBA team willing to take a flier on a player who can’t really shoot, investing in a huge, skilled passer is a pretty interesting thing to consider. Banton’s broad shoulders and long arms pop immediately on film, and his height gives him legitimate functionality using ball screens, able to see over defenders and giving him access to passing angles that smaller handlers don’t have. He delivers the ball well using a variety of passes, and his size allows him to rebound, push in transition and help facilitate early offense. Banton has a long stride that helps him cover ground quickly, and, while not particularly explosive, he has a workable degree of pace as a handler and gets good extension in the paint on finishes. His overall feel for moving the ball stands out immediately, even as bad as Nebraska was this season. The playmaking seems bankable as an NBA-level skill."

This is a pretty fair summary of his offensive game. Not much said about defense. A big question is who is he going to guard on the next level? He's not quick enough to guard point guards and with his slim frame, I'd foresee him having trouble guarding physical wings. What I found distressing this year is that often he was sloppy with the ball and turned it over carelessly. I had expected that with his size, he'd be able to work smaller defenders into the paint and mid-range to create his own shots. I don't think that ever really blossomed. 

 

No doubt Banton's got a lot of intangibles and tools to work with. His ceiling is much, much higher than we saw this year. However, I just can't see him sticking with an NBA team in the near future without putting in the work on those glaring weaknesses. I'd love to have him back if he's willing to put be humble and develop his game. 

[Dean Smith]

 

[49r]

 

Fantastic news. Best of luck to him!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[75unlgrad]

I don't think he wants to come back to Nebraska.  Competition for playing time at the guard position will increase this year (Koby Webster, Trey McGowen, Keisei Tominaga, Bryce McGowens, C.J. Wilcher, and Quaran McPherson).  He knows that he could find himself sitting on the end of the bench is he doesn't improve his perimeter shooting and cut down on turnovers.  Sitting on the bench will not improve his stock with the NBA.  I look for him to take advantage on any opportunity to go the pro route this year.

 

I could be wrong (and I hope I am) and he comes back this year 'new and improved.'  If he develops confidence in his perimeter shooting, cuts down on turnovers, and facilitates the offence -- great.  If not, some of these younger players will get their chance and start taking away his minutes on the floor.

 

(Banton's style of play reminds me of Simmons on the 76'ers -- excels at defense (can guard two or three positions), rebounding, driving to the basket and finishing, and passing.  He just has no confidence in his perimeter shooting stroke.)

[thrasher31]

 

Put up a decent line minus points. Not really moving the needle

[Norm Peterson]

6 hours ago, thrasher31 said:

 

Put up a decent line minus points. Not really moving the needle

 

He put up the most rebounds and assists of all the guys who missed all their shots from the floor.

[hhcmatt]

Video is here

 

https://m.twitch.tv/videos/1062221987

 

His team is the white jerseys and he first checks in at the 13:40 mark

Only watched a bit of the first half.  The one shot attempt I saw he wasn't set up so it barely grazed rim.  The passes he made were leading to easy buckets.  He's a gifted passer.

[hhcmatt]

14 hours ago, Norm Peterson said:

 

He put up the most rebounds and assists of all the guys who missed all their shots from the floor.

 

Watch the play that develops starting at 40:40. If that's not the best 10 seconds of your day today, you're having a heck of a day 

[aphilso1]

I see Banton as a poor man's Ben Simmons.  The NBA is a copycat league.  Ergo, I wonder if Simmons' playoff struggles will have any impact on Banton's stock value.  Just seems like long, athletic guards that are plus passers but bad scorers are not in high demand right now. 

[aphilso1]

On 6/20/2021 at 11:21 AM, 75unlgrad said:

(Banton's style of play reminds me of Simmons on the 76'ers -- excels at defense (can guard two or three positions), rebounding, driving to the basket and finishing, and passing.  He just has no confidence in his perimeter shooting stroke.)

 

Didn't mean to steal your analysis, @75unlgrad.  Clearly I think you're spot on with it though!

[Swan88]

9 hours ago, hhcmatt said:

 

Watch the play that develops starting at 40:40. If that's not the best 10 seconds of your day today, you're having a heck of a day 

Cool!  Love it when Delano gets the defensive rebound and begins a break on the dribble.  

If his teammates could hit shots, he’d have double the number of assists.  
And he blocked the three-point shot at the first half ending buzzer.

he’s playing some good defense, too.

The name on his jersey is a hand-written “BAN” on tape right next to the printed-on-jersey “TON”—pretty funny (he was, apparently, a late invitee to the event).

sure hope he comes back.

Edited June 22, 2021 by Swan88

[75unlgrad]

7 hours ago, aphilso1 said:

Didn't mean to steal your analysis, @75unlgrad.  Clearly I think you're spot on with it though!

I want to say "great minds think alike" but I'm not sure I would hold up my end of the deal.

[millerhusker]

Led both teams in rebounds, blocks and assists. If he gets the combine invite, he’s gonna end up being talked about as one of the best passers in the draft. 

[AuroranHusker]

 

[AuroranHusker]

 

[Dean Smith]

 

[Norm Peterson]

Dalano, come back to Nebraska. Prove you can shoot. Then go to the NBA.

 

Selfishly, I want his veteran leadership on a team that's blending in a bunch of newcomers. Unselfishly, I think if he can develop a reliable jumper -- and I bet he thinks he can -- then another year of college to prove it could bounce him way up the draft board and result in a far bigger payday for him.