Former Dayton forward Holmes ‘100% healthy’ one year after Achilles injury

Holmes picked the auto racing movie, “F1,” and “John Wick: Ballerina” as the best films he’s seen this year.

Those are two action-packed flicks, and fans of the Dayton Flyers and Denver Nuggets hope Holmes provides just as much excitement this summer and in the months that follow as he approaches the start of his delayed rookie season.

Holmes will take the next step in his return from an injury that kept him out of game action for a year at 9:30 p.m. Thursday when the Nuggets play the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nev. The game will air on NBA TV.

Three other former Flyers will also play in the summer league: Koby Brea with the Phoenix Suns; and Nate Santos and Jalen Crutcher with the Orlando Magic.

Several familiar names will play with Holmes on the Nuggets’ summer league team: former Northwestern guard Boo Buie, who played one game against Holmes in college; former Saint Louis forward Terrence Hargrove Jr., who played against Holmes six times in three seasons in Atlantic 10 Conference play; and former Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell.

“We have a great summer league team,” Holmes said, “and we’re just excited to get going.”

The Nuggets held the first of five practices Saturday before heading to Las Vegas.

Practicing is not new for Holmes, who said he started to feel fully healthy in the spring while the Nuggets were still alive in the playoffs. Playing in games will be new. He has not seen any action — at least in front of spectators — since scoring 11 points in his summer league debut last July. The injury came late in that game.

“I thought I was playing pretty well, especially in the system,” Holmes said. “I was like a chicken with my head cut off at first, figuring stuff out, but once I finally had the game slow down for me, it was pretty cool to get out there and experience it.”

Getting back to this point, Holmes said, has been about trusting the trainers and the rehabilitation process.

“Now I’m 100% healthy,” Holmes said. “It’s all up to them on when they feel it’ll be the most comfortable for me to get out there and play. I think I’m in a great spot with the team we had last year and the team we have this year.”

Holmes was asked how much he would think about his health on the court and how much he can trust his body.

“You always have that thought, especially when something like that happens,” he said, “but honestly, I can only go onward and upwards. I’m just excited to get out there and get going. You have to start over from square one. You have to learn how to walk again and run and play. All that stuff comes with it.”

The Nuggets drafted Holmes, a 6-foot-9 forward who played three seasons at Dayton and was an All-American in the 2023-24 season, in the first round with the No. 22 pick a year ago.

With Holmes sidelined for a year, the Nuggets had no rookies who played a significant role last year. Denver also traded its 2025 draft picks.

Holmes said Denver has a veteran team, and he tried to learn from all the players. He worked on improving every aspect of his game when he returned to practice.

“I think my shot’s still been improving,” he said, “and it’s looking pretty good. Just being in the weight room, adding some muscle to my game and just learning our system, learning our plays, I feel more confident knowing what I need to do now. And my passing game, I think, has gotten a lot better.”

Andrew Munson, a special assistant to Nuggets head coach David Adelman, will coach the summer league team. He praised the way Holmes responded to the injury.

“Everyone’s heartbroken for the kid,” Munson told reporters on Saturday, “and he’s like the most positive person in the room. I’m just super excited for him to be back. He’s been phenomenal with his rehab all year.”