Rockets signing Oregon center N’Faly Dante to two-way contract

Undrafted center N’Faly Dante will join the Houston Rockets prior to summer league on a two-way contract, according to media reports after Thursday’s second round of the 2024 NBA draft.

Now 22 years old, Dante is a massive presence at 6-foot-11 and 260 pounds. In 31.5 minutes per game at Oregon, he averaged 17.0 points (69.5% FG), 9.2 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.7 steals.

“He made [most] of his shots, rarely shooting from the perimeter, but finishing aggressively around the rim in pick-and-roll or off offensive rebounds,” Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes.

Dante joins Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard, the No. 3 overall pick from Wednesday’s first round, as the initial two summer-league participants for the Rockets. Houston traded out of its second-round pick, flipping it to the Atlanta Hawks in a deal for AJ Griffin.

Summer-league play will open for Dante, Sheppard, and the rest of the Rockets on Friday, July 12 versus the Los Angeles Lakers. Tipoff from Las Vegas will be at 6:30 p.m. Central on ESPN.

Houston’s complete summer-league roster and schedule will be released in the coming days, with a mini-camp set for early July.