The collective screen time of Flyer Nation rose by a large percentage Wednesday. Thousands of fans checked their phones over and over again for news about DaRon Holmes II. Would he stay at Dayton or go pro? I was right there with them. Every vibration forced me to take a look at my phone. I started a story to break the news days before so I wouldn’t have to do as much once Holmes made a decision.
Holmes had until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. I hoped he wouldn’t wait past my bedtime. I had to carry my computer around to two different playgrounds that evening as I watched my son Chase, 4, play — barefoot for a while after destroying one of his Crocs. I talked to someone on UD’s social media team who had to take his computer to a dog park Wednesday evening because of the Holmes situation.
Chase and I then went to Kroger as the wait continued. Running out of raspberries is a serious situation at our house. Still no news.
Finally at 8:51 as bedtime neared, Holmes put the news out on Twitter and Instagram.
“Let’s get it Flyer Nation!!!” he wrote.
I sent Holmes a text message soon after posting a story, hoping to get him on the phone but knowing it probably wouldn’t happen that night with his phone, no doubt, blowing up. I did get to talk to him Thursday afternoon thanks to the help of Matt Farrell, of the Dayton Sixth, a NIL collective. Holmes apologized for missing my first call. He was working out, of course.
The story, published on DaytonDailyNews.com this morning, explained the reasons behind Holmes’ decision to return to UD for his junior season.
“It was a hard decision,” Holmes said. “It kind of did come down to (Wednesday) I wasn’t leaning one way. My gut told me to come back. I felt like I could have went somewhere in the second round, but honestly, I wanted to boost my stock and try to get to the first round. I think Dayton has what it takes for me to do that. Also I think the team has unfinished business. I want to win games.”
Transfer portal was seriously considered by Holmes
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Although I didn’t get Holmes II on the phone on Thursday night, his dad, DaRon Sr., who had told me earlier in the week his son’s decision “would go down to the wire,” was quick to get back to me in a call from the family’s home in Goodyear, Arizona. He was very transparent about the decision-making process and what his son had experienced throughout the spring while exploring his NBA options.
The most interesting part of the story I published on DaytonDailyNews.com on Thursday morning was this section in which Holmes Sr. confirmed the transfer portal was a real option for Holmes II despite how much he likes UD. The money Holmes II could have made elsewhere was hard to turn down.
“We were seriously considering putting his name in the portal,” Holmes Sr. said, “but, at the time, we just elected to minimize the distractions and not deal with everything that comes with a player like DaRon putting his name into the portal. We just didn’t want the distraction. Some people questioned our decision to do that. In the end, it was about minimizing distraction and keeping the focus on working toward the draft.
“The reason I bring up the portal was because NIL-wise, as hard as the Dayton 6th is working to grow that aspect of recruiting and retention, the money that’s been thrown around will remain a challenge. I already know some of the things that were thrown at DaRon — some of things that were thrown at us — just to consider. That being said, we’ve never been all about letting the money drive our decision. The money didn’t drive us to the portal, and the money didn’t necessarily drive us back to Dayton. It was just, ‘Where do we feel he had the best opportunity to develop the skill sets that the NBA teams gave us feedback on, that they said they wanted to see?’”
Grant reacts to Holmes news
I reached out to Dayton’s longtime sports information director Doug Hauschild — his official title is Director of Athletics Communication — early in the week to see if Anthony Grant would talk about Holmes’ decision, whatever it may be, after he made it. Hauschild got a quick answer from Grant that he would. It would be the first basketball-related interview Grant has done since the season ended in early March, so there was plenty to cover with Grant outside the Holmes news when we met with him Thursday outside the coaches’ offices at the Cronin Center.
There were a few pieces of news that came out of the interview:
• Dayton newcomers Marvel Allen, Enoch Cheeks, Javon Bennett and Isaac Jack are all on campus. Jaiun Simon was scheduled to arrive Thursday and Vasile Erceg sometime later this month.
• Asked about the two open scholarships, Grant said the coaches are “actively recruiting.”
• Grant said he expects Koby Brea and Malachi Smith, who have both undergone offseason surgeries, to be ready for the start of the season.
• Grant was also asked by WHIO about the offseason rumors of him considering retirement. Dayton Athletic Director Neil Sullivan told me earlier in the spring he never had a discussion with Grant about retirement. This was Grant’s response to the question about whether the retirement rumor was accurate.
“I think the one thing you’ve guys have got to always understand is I’m always going to speak for myself,” he said. “Anything that I need to convey to you, I will, so if you don’t hear it from me, don’t read into anything other than that. Obviously, for me, personally, I love what I’m doing. I love what I’m doing. I love where I’m doing it at. My family and I have been through quite a bit, and as you mentioned, I’ve been doing this for a while, but as long as I continue to enjoy what I’m doing and the people I’m doing it with, I’m good, so I’m good.”
Fast Break
Here’s other news that might interest Flyer fans:
🏀 Richmond was not as fortunate as Dayton in regards to the transfer portal as its top player, Tyler Burton, left for Villanova.
🏀 ESPN predicted Dayton forward Toumani Camara will go to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round in its latest mock draft.
🏀 Former Dayton guard Mike Sharavjamts, who withdrew from the draft, ranks 11th on an ESPN list of the top remaining players in the transfer portal.
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