Dalano Banton modeled his recreation after Rajon Rondo

When Boston Celtics followers watch their new guard Dalano Banton on the court docket this season, they might be reminded of a well-known face.

Based on Taylor Snow, the Celtics’ in-house senior author, Banton modeled his recreation after Rajon Rondo. Rondo helped the Celtics win the 2008 NBA Championship as their start line guard in simply his second season within the league. He continued to function a veteran chief for Boston till he was traded in 2014.

Banton’s stat sheet backs up the comparability. Rondo’s signature expertise have been his passing potential and imaginative and prescient, two issues that Banton has obtained loads of reward for. Banton’s defensive potential and potential are additionally secret strengths of his recreation, simply as Rondo’s protection usually went underneath the radar throughout his time in Boston.

However regardless of how comparable they play, the 2 gamers don’t look very a lot alike. Snow mentioned that Banton had an enormous progress spurt in highschool, rising from 5’9” as a freshman to six’6” as a junior, which is considerably taller than Rondo at 6’1”.

Banton’s fascination for Rondo’s recreation could stem from the time he spent close to Boston. He was born and raised in Toronto, however spent a lot of his highschool profession in Massachusetts. Banton performed for MacDuffie Faculty in Granville and Redemption Christian Academy in Northfield earlier than he agreed to play NCAA basketball for the College of Nebraska.

The Celtics will debut Banton this season, and he’ll hopefully present the group with the passing and protection that Rondo confirmed a decade in the past.