Oregon Center Dante Uses NIL Money to Build House for Mom in Africa
Oregon Ducks N'Faly Dante, a senior on the men's basketball team, is giving back to his mother. The center from Bamako, Mali hasn't always had it how he does now. When he was a child, he had to walk an hour to the park to play basketball.
He's now on the edge of getting a chance in the NBA after playing in his fifth season for Oregon. Dante has made the most of his fifth year, averaging 14.8 points, 8.4 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game.
Dante greatly appreciates what his mother did for him as a child. If it wasn't for her, he wouldn't be in the position that he's currently in.
That's why he plans to build her a house in Mali with the NIL money he's earned. According to Oregon Live, the three-story project is already underway. Assetou Diabate, his mother, doesn't speak English and doesn't read American news, so this is a surprise to her.
“I want to surprise her, but my brothers and sisters know,” Dante said with a grin. “As long as they’re good, I’m good. If not for what my mom did for us, we couldn’t have done anything. Everything I wished for as a kid, I had it.”
Dante says he was a picky eater when he was a little kid, but that didn't stop his mom from feeding him four times a day. It wasn't until he was older that he understood how much of a privilege this was.
This is another example of how NIL money can change student-athletes and their families' lives. Not only should they be allowed to make money, but it's long overdue as we can see from situations similar to this one.
Dante worked hard and now can help his mother by building a gorgeous house in Africa.
