Jackson has been writing about sports for the Deseret News since 2023.
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While AJ Dybantsa won’t play again until the fall and Richie Saunders is still recovering from his torn ACL, there’s another rookie from BYU making some noise in the NBA Summer League
After signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the team, Keba Keita has appeared in three summer contests for the Indiana Pacers, averaging around 13 minutes per game
In his most recent outing Wednesday against the Timberwolves in Las Vegas, Keita scored 10 points with five rebounds — two on the offensive glass — and had three blocks
Braden Smith finds Keba Keita above the rim ‼️ pic.twitter.com/YFOOC7UlKk
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) July 15, 2026
Wednesday was his best game of the summer thus far, with the Mali native now averaging 7.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 60% shooting
In one notable play against the Timberwolves, a hustling Keita stole an additional possession for the Pacers as he chased down a loose ball he had just blocked from behind and knocked it off of an opposing player to sail out of bounds
Keba Keita blocks Donovan Williams’ dunk attempt from behind, then hustles for the ball and throws it out of bounds off Williams to gain a possession for the Pacers (with replays)Former teammate of AJ Dybantsa. pic.twitter.com/mooGxlnGuj
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) July 15, 2026
Keita averaged 6.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in two seasons at BYU after transferring from Utah, serving as an effective lob threat and rim protector within Kevin Young’s operation
Despite standing at just 6-foot-7, Keita possesses impressive athleticism for a big man. His standing vertical leap of 31.5 inches at the G League combine would have ranked third among NBA combine centers, while his results in the three-quarter court sprint (3.21 seconds) and max vertical leap (37 inches) would have each ranked fifth
In a pair of May scrimmages with other G League combine participants, Keita averaged 13.5 points and 8.5 rebounds on 76% shooting
For Keita, however, his pursuit of a professional basketball career is tied to his dream of serving his homeland of Mali. He recently started a foundation to provide basic life necessities and aid for individuals and families in need back home
“Right now, I’m like bringing like really basic stuff, like shoes. I’m collecting shoes and clothes,” Keita told the Deseret News’ Sarah Todd in June. “… But, in the future, the big picture will be to bring wells to different regions in Mali, and schools and even hospitals.”
