N'Faly Dante: At the center of Oregon men's basketball

Senior N’Faly Dante is quite literally at the center of the Oregon men’s basketball program. Standing at 7 feet tall and being one of the more tenured players on the roster, this Duck is the starting big man in Eugene.

Despite suffering multiple injuries during his time with Oregon, Dante has made an impact and will leave a legacy behind once he heads to the NBA.

Dante is more than just a Duck though. The Malian basketball player grew up in Kansas but has familial roots in West Africa. He frequently goes back to see his loved ones and frequently shares those special moments on social media.

His infectious, joyous personality has brought brightness to the Ducks despite living halfway around the world from one of the most important people: his mom.

In a Players’ Tribune article that Dante wrote in 2019, he credited his mother as being the reason behind everything he has and everything he does. At just 22 years old, Dante is still a kid in the grand scheme of things and the letter was a way of showing his love.

Dante also shared that he would be reclassifying to graduate from high school in 2019 instead of 2020 and head to Eugene to start playing for Dana Altman and the Ducks.

His stats have been phenomenal when Dante has stayed healthy. He has shot 63.3 percent from the field for a career total of 940 points. He also has 615 rebounds and 108 blocks through 91 games.

Dante’s presence on and off the field has improved both the culture and the record of Oregon men’s basketball.

His height, his skills, and his laughter will be missed once he goes to the NBA but it’s always fun to see a Pro Duck.

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