Fifth Year Senior Is An Interesting Center Prospect
After the conclusion of the NBA Draft Second Round the Rockets signed undrafted center free agent N’Faly Dante from Oregon. He’s an older prospect, but other than that, literally everything about him fits the bill as a good, to very good, backup NBA center, as long as you don’t expect him to shoot 3pt shots.
Dante brings divine stats with him from Oregon, as his production there was anything but comical.
The 6’11”, 260lbs center is 22 years old, and fifth year senior, largely due to missing 2020 with a serious knee injury. Despite being slightly older, he’s got excellent measurables – 6’11” with a 7’6” wingspan, and a 9’5” standing reach. He’s described as a high motor, physical, center who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty in the paint.
He runs the floor well, stays active on offense without touches and tends to throw down monster dunks when given the opportunity. He’s not a dribbler, but is Definitely A Lob Threat, so everyone can breathe a bit easier, secure in the knowledge that the Rockets have A Lob Threat on the roster again, at long last. If Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore weren’t lob threatening enough for you, at least.
Last season in the (late, lamented) PAC-12 Dante averaged 17pts, 9rbs, 1.6ast, 1.7stl, 1.9 blocks while only averaging 2 fouls in 32 minutes per game. He shot 70% from two point range, and shot zero 3pt shots at a nice 69TS%. He shot 63% on 5FT per game, so better than Donovan Clingan in that regard. Dante could improve his efficiency by shooting FTs better.
He was all first team PAC-12 in 2023, 2024, All PAC-12 Tournament in 2024, and 2023-24 All Defense PAC-12, and the 2024 PAC-12 tournament MVP.
In Oregon’s NCAA tournament game against Creighton Dante had 28pts and 20rbs in the Ducks double overtime loss.
He’s by no means a spacing big, but he does all the other traditional center things well, and worst case looks like a great pickup for the RGV Vipers. There’s the possibility of more, at the NBA level, as there’s nothing to suggest he couldn’t do well as a defense and rim-running big in the NBA in a backup role.
As far as Dante’s fit with next season’s Rockets, it’s hard to see a role, unless Adams or Landale got hurt, which doesn’t exactly defy the cosmic order. In which case, Dante could bring his sweet renaissance versification to the Rockets bench.