Shandong Hi-Speed Men's Basketball Team Confirms Second New Foreign Player: Can Banton Fix the Team's Playmaking Shortcomings?

Shandong Hi-Speed Men's Basketball Team has added another new foreign player! On September 7, Shandong Hi-Speed Basketball Club officially announced that, after friendly negotiations between both sides, the club had completed the signing of Canadian player Dalano Banton. After the registration materials are submitted to the CBA company and approved and publicly announced, he will wear the Shandong Hi-Speed Men's Basketball Team jersey and compete in the CBA, fighting for the team's new-season campaign. Banton has become Shandong Hi-Speed's second new foreign player for the new season after center Faye.

A talented, tall ball-handling playmaker

NBA fans should be familiar with Banton's name. Born in Canada in November 1999, Banton is 2.03 meters tall and weighs 92 kilograms. He is a talented, tall ball-handling playmaker who can switch defensively across positions 1 through 4. In the 2021 NBA Draft, Banton was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 46th overall pick in the second round. During his NBA career, he played for the Raptors, Trail Blazers, Celtics and Clippers. He appeared in 222 regular-season games, averaging 14.4 minutes, 6.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, with shooting accuracy of 40.1% and three-point accuracy of 30.3%. During the 2023-24 season with the Trail Blazers, Banton received more opportunities and averaged 29.2 minutes per game, posting 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists. In the 2025-26 season, he played in the NBA G League, averaging 32 minutes per game with 24.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks, shooting 47% from the field and 36.3% from three-point range, while recording multiple 30-plus point games. For the national team, Banton represented Canada at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup and averaged 15.7 points per game, earning selection to the tournament's All-Star Team.

What makes Banton stand out is not only his statistics, but also his 'rarity.' Banton's official NBA position is point guard, while his 2.03-meter height and all-around abilities allow him to shift from shooting guard to power forward and switch flexibly across positions 1 through 4, making him a typical tall ball-handling wing player. In its official announcement, Shandong Hi-Speed Basketball Club described Banton as: talent-based and all-around successful. Banton has outstanding height, wingspan and physical strength, giving him a significant mismatch advantage on the court. Offensively, Banton is highly aggressive, excels at pushing the ball and transition offense, and has strong passing vision and court awareness. He is good at initiating offense through pick-and-rolls and organizing team possessions, combining the detailed playmaking skills of a guard with the physicality of a forward. He can greatly enrich the team's offensive tactics and improve overall rhythm. Defensively, he covers a wide area on the court, produces steady steals and blocks, and is a balanced, versatile foreign player capable of supporting a team's system. Shandong Hi-Speed Basketball Club hopes Banton can quickly integrate into the team's tactics, adapt to the CBA pace, and fully display his playmaking ability, physical impact and experience.

Can a tall NBA guard adapt to the new CBA environment?

Regarding Banton joining Shandong Hi-Speed Men's Basketball Team, the majority of Shandong fans have expressed support and hope that he can bring energy and changes to the team. However, some more cautious fans are concerned about whether this tall NBA guard can adapt to the new CBA environment.

According to reports, Banton had been recommended to CBA teams by his agent since last season, and several clubs contacted him this year before he ultimately chose Shandong Hi-Speed. Since last season's main guard Gao Shiyan was stronger defensively than offensively, Shandong Hi-Speed has had obvious shortcomings in offensive organization and ball movement in recent seasons. As a result, the team made major efforts to sign former national team player Wang Lanqin and has now added NBA-level versatile guard Banton. As a tall ball-handling organizer, Banton can create his own offense while also helping the domestic guard group, directly filling the team's organizational gap. In addition to initiating offense and controlling the team's rhythm, Banton can also use his height and physicality to play as a shooting guard, small forward or even power forward, covering multiple positions defensively. This is his biggest advantage and the area most anticipated by the team and fans.

However, Banton has never played in the CBA before, so he may need time to adapt after joining Shandong. In addition, his three-point shooting percentage during his NBA career was only 30.3%, which may not fully satisfy a Shandong team lacking outside shooters. At the same time, Shandong's new-season big foreign player Faye is a defensive blue-collar interior player whose scoring mainly comes from pick-and-roll finishes and second-chance opportunities. His individual offensive ability is limited, and he relies heavily on teammates' passing on offense. Therefore, whether Faye and Banton can develop chemistry on the court remains uncertain, requiring the coaching staff to make more careful considerations regarding tactics and player usage.

It is understood that Faye will report to the team soon. On September 11, Shandong Hi-Speed Men's Basketball Team will play a warm-up game against Qingdao Guoxin Men's Basketball Team in Yinan, after which it will travel to Weihai for a two-week training camp. The identity of the third foreign player will also be revealed soon.

Reporter: Li Fujie Editor: Li Fujie Proofreader: Liu Tian