Holmes calls Nuggets a ‘perfect fit’ after being drafted in first round

“The Phoenix Suns select DaRon Holmes II, from the University of Dayton,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who referred to UD as Dayton University when Obi Toppin was drafted in 2020.

The Nuggets originally had the No. 28 pick and took the pick of the Phoenix Suns, the hometown team of Holmes, who’s from Goodyear, Ariz. The Suns received Denver’s No. 28, No. 56 and two future second-round picks in the deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

“A lot of great players, a lot of great talent there,” Holmes said of the Nuggets, the 2023 NBA champions. “I’m just happy to be where I’m at. Perfect fit. I’m very excited. ... I’m excited to get out there and play. It’s a great team, a great organization for a reason. I’m going to get better, and I’m going to keep going.”

Wearing a purple suit that was a shoutout to Millennium High School, where he also wore purple, Holmes spent the evening sitting next to UD coach Anthony Grant. His dad DaRon Sr., mom Tomika and brothers Quintyn and Cameron were also at the table in the green room, as was his agent Aaron Reilly.

After a quiet evening at the Holmes table, activity started picking up at the Holmes table just before the pick was announced. Then the TV cameramen started circling the table, letting everyone watching in the arena know Holmes was about to hear his name. He put his head in his hands on the table as he awaited the announcement.

Holmes stood up and pounded his chest after hearing his name. then hugged everyone at the table, starting with his mom and dad and moving to his brothers and saving Grant for last. He pointed to a group of fans from his high school in the stands. Then after posing for a photo with Silver on stage, he bowed to those fans as he left the stage.

“I was excited the whole time,” Holmes said. “A little nervous. It was great to see all my boys there watching me.”

Holmes starred for the Flyers for three seasons and led the program to its first NCAA tournament victory in nine years in March. The Flyers rallied from a 17-point deficit in the second half to beat Nevada 63-60 and then lost to Arizona in the second round.

The highest-ranked recruit to play for UD in this century, Holmes is the fourth player drafted since coach Anthony Grant took over the program in 2017. Prior to 2018, when Kostas Antetokounmpo was taken with the 60th and last pick, a Flyer hadn’t been drafted since Negele Knight, a second-round pick in 1990.

Here’s what the selection of Holmes means for Dayton and the Atlantic 10 Conference:

• Holmes is the 40th Dayton player drafted since 1952.

• This is the first time since 1957 and 1958 when Jim Palmer and Bucky Bockhorn were picked in back-to-back drafts that Dayton has had players drafted in consecutive years. Toumani Camara was a second-round pick last year.

• Holmes is the first Flyer drafted in the first round since Obi Toppin, who was selected by the New York Knicks with the eighth overall pick in 2020.

• Holmes is the fourth first-round pick in UD history. In addition to Holmes and Toppin, Jim Paxson was taken 12th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1979. The only other first-round pick in UD history was John Horan, who was taken eighth overall by the Fort Wayne Pistons in 1955.

• This is the fifth straight year an A-10 player has been drafted. The list includes Toppin, Bones Hyland (first round, 2021); Vince Williams Jr. (second round, 2022); and Camara. An A-10 player has been drafted in eight of the last 10 years.

• Holmes is the 23rd player in A-10 history to be drafted in the first round.

A consensus All-American who won the Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Year Award and Defender of the Year award, Holmes averaged 20.4 points as a junior. He owns UD career records for blocked shots (215) and dunks (241). He ranks 11th in career scoring (1,745 points) and sixth in career field-goal percentage (.588, 630 of 1071).

Holmes is the only player in UD history to win the team MVP award in his first three years with the program. He’s the only UD player to win the Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year Award as a true freshman.