N'Faly Dante

N'Faly Dante's Biography

N’Faly Dante is a professional basketball player who was born on 19th October 2001. Hailing from Mali, his career started with an adventurous journey filled with various accomplishments. Currently, Dante is known for his exceptional performance with the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Additionally, he is also associated with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, a team within the NBA G League, under a “two-way contract”.

Dante’s passion for basketball flourished during his high school years where he attended Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas. There, his skill and natural talent became evident and were recorded in the spectacular performance of his junior season. Dante, as a leader, directed his team to a 22-6 record, and they made their first appearance in the GEICO Nationals. During this season, he had a remarkable average of 16 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game.

This young player’s efforts soon paid off as Dante’s skill level drew attention from across the country. He was considered as a consensus five-star recruit, which placed Dante amongst the top-notch centers of his class. Moreover, he successfully secured the position of the number one recruit from Kansas, further elevating his status.

In his pursuit of furthering his career, on 13th August 2019, Dante made a revolutionary decision. In an emotional letter to his mother, published on the Players’ Tribune, he announced his reclassification to the 2019 class and his commitment to play college basketball for Oregon. However, the start of the 2019-2020 season met with an unfortunate delay as Dante was deemed ineligible to start due to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) missing his clearance date. Nevertheless, he reenrolled at the University of Oregon on 14th December.

Dante’s debut for the Oregon Ducks was on 18th December 2019. In an 81-48 victory over Montana, he made his mark by scoring 11 points. Despite facing a knee injury against Washington on 18th January 2020 that led him to miss several weeks, Dante managed to score a career-high of 22 points in a match against Florida A&M on 9th December of the same year. However, Dante’s journey with Oregon was cut short when he suffered a torn ACL on 19th December, putting him out for the rest of the season. Even with the setback, Dante maintained an impressive participation, averaging 8.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, as well as a shooting percentage of 65.6 from the field in his sophomore year.

After the 2024 NBA draft, Dante went undrafted but his persistence was rewarded when he signed a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets on 9th July 2024, marking his arrival into the professional sphere of basketball.

In addition to his USA career, Dante has also contributed his skills to teams representing his home country, Mali, on several occasions. He played in the 2016 FIBA Under-17 World Championship in Zaragoza, Spain, where his team finished in 15th place with Dante averaging 2.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Furthermore, he was included in the roster for Mali at the 2017 FIBA under-16 African Championship in Mauritius. Even though he did not get any recorded playing time, this represented his team’s victory, signifying Dante’s value as part of a championship winning team.

In summary, N’Faly Dante is a rising Malian talent in the field of basketball with an extraordinary journey of trials and triumphs. From his high school achievements to his present-day success in the NBA, Dante’s story displays an inspirational narrative of hope, perseverance, and undeniable talent. Whether it’s for the Houston Rockets, the Oregon Ducks, or representing Mali, whenever Dante steps foot on the basketball court, he exemplifies unmatched skill and an evident passion for the game.