Former Husker Dalano Banton has enjoyed a strong start with the Portland Trail Blazers after joining the organization last week in a trade. 

Banton, a 6-foot-8, 204-pound guard, has averaged 14.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in his first two games after being traded by Boston to Portland at the trade deadline on Feb. 8.  Banton had 12 points, three rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes in his debut against New Orleans before scoring 16 points and adding five boards and three assists in Portland’s loss to Minnesota Tuesday night.  

Banton, who is in his third NBA season after being a second-round choice of the Toronto Raptors in the 2021 NBA Draft, played in 24 games for the Celtics after signing as a free agent in the offseason, helping the team to the best record in the Eastern Conference before he was dealt. 

Banton spent two seasons at Nebraska after transferring from Western Kentucky. After sitting out the 2019-20 campaign, he 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 in 2020-21.