Banton ‘not getting tired’
Rexdale rookie bouncing between NBA, G League to get reps
There are always at least a few friends and family in the arena whenever Dalano Banton plays an NBA or a G League game, and it’s fun for the local product to entertain those close to him.
And if some good health awareness comes with it, that’s just an added bonus.
Banton, the Rexdale native who has been bouncing between the NBA Raptors and the G League Raptors 905 for much of this season, admitted his circle of supporters took the COVID-19 vaccination rules to heart earlier this year so they wouldn’t have to miss a game regardless of where he played.
“A lot of people come to the games and a lot of people been vaccinated, like, even before the season started,” the Raptors rookie said Tuesday. “When I first got drafted and they knew how it was going to be going into it, people got vaccinated before the season had started because they want to be at games, and they didn’t want to miss the first one.
“So basically everyone has been vaccinated now, to be honest.”
That’s good, because Banton has certainly been busy and the opportunity for his circle of supporters to watch him has grown.
He played last Thursday for the Raptors in Toronto, Saturday afternoon for the Raptors 905 in Mississauga, was back with the NBA team on Sunday and played Monday morning in a G League game at Scotiabank Arena.
There’s every chance he will play at home for the Raptors on Wednesday against the Thunder and Friday versus the Knicks and be back in Mississauga on Saturday afternoon to suit up for the G League affiliate.
It’s been a whirlwind for the 20year-old and having the support of whoever can come to whichever game just adds a level of comfort.
And maybe it is a grind but Banton’s a kid with boundless energy, a willingness to learn, a love of the game and the smarts to know that any time he gets to play in a game at full game speed, his development will be ratcheted up.
“I’m not getting tired of it,” he said. “I’m just kind of trusting in the process that they have going on for me.
“I trust in the development of the Raptors and I’ve seen it countless times of guys who came before me.”
Aside from the moral support he gets from his inner circle, he’s got the vast resources of a billion-dollar franchise behind him.
“I’m kind of just using the resources that are here for me,” he said. “I’m never short of anything that I need. Whatever I need, these guys are there for me, whether it’s treatment, recovery, to get in the gym to get up extra shots.
“So I just take advantage of the resources I have.”
The vaccination issue with Banton’s family and friends is not a new issue — the Raptors have followed government guidelines in insisting that all fans be fully protected against COVID-19 — but the league reminded teams about it in a memo distributed Tuesday.
Along with confirming a weeksold Canadian government policy that all players have to be fully vaccinated to get in the country after Jan. 15 — no more “national interest exemptions” for reluctant players — the league also made it clear additional testing will be required of players and team personnel to get back into the U.S. after playing in Toronto.
“U.S. government now requires all inbound travellers (even if fully vaccinated) to document a negative result from a coronavirus test collected within one day (reduced from three days) prior to entering the country,” says the memo, a copy of which was obtained by the Star.
It’s not likely going to be a huge issue — the league says 97 per cent of its nearly 500 players are fully vaccinated — but with positive tests increasing in the last week, it’s a reminder that the coronavirus has not disappeared.
Four players from the Charlotte Hornets have been placed under the league’s health and safety protocols in the last four days. Former Raptor DeMar DeRozan is also out and could miss a game in Toronto next week. If he doesn’t return two negative PCR tests in a 24-hour period, he will have to be away from the team for a minimum 10 days.