Brady Conner said he falls into neither camp, but the Alter guard is not about to complain about the chance for friends and family to easily see him suit up for Wright State next year, either.
“I definitely do like the idea of it, but I don’t think that was really my deciding factor,” Conner told the Dayton Daily News after announcing he verbally committed to Wright State on Tuesday morning. “It’s definitely going to be really cool to play for a college that I grew up going to watch games because they were so close.”
Conner said new Wright State coach Clint Sargent, who was promoted in the wake of Scott Nagy leaving for Southern Illinois in March, helped the Raiders stand out from a group of potential colleges that also included Mercyhurst, Stetson, Air Force, Belmont, Stonehill and Marshall.
“I thought they were all great places and had their own unique things about them,” Conner said. “But after many long nights of praying, I felt like Wright State would be the place for me.”
He also credited Jaaron Simmons, a former Alter point guard himself who played college basketball at Ohio University and Michigan, with closing the deal after joining the staff in April.
“I think it came down to ultimately Coach Sargent’s openness about the recruiting process the whole time,” Conner said. “I felt like I really built a good relationship with him, and I already have a great relationship with Coach Simmons, so that just added to that comfortability.
“I feel like they have the best staff to develop me and become the best possible player and man I can be.”
The 6-foot-6 Conner averaged 7.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists as a junior last season for the Knights, who won the Division II state championship at UD Arena.
He is the second senior-to-be from the 2024-25 Alter squad to announce a verbal commitment to a Division I school.
R.J. Greer, a 6-3 guard, verbally committed to North Carolina State in June. He also considered Cincinnati, Penn State and the Australian pro league.
Conner’s older brother, Jacob, will also be playing close to home starting this season after transferring to the University of Dayton from Marshall last spring.
It turns out he was a key resource for Brady during the recruiting process.
“Yes, sir,” he said. “I talked to him a lot about the pros and cons of every school, and he really helped me in my recruiting just as a source who’s been through that process before, talking to me about how there’s no need to stress.
“I felt my family really helped me with figuring out what I wanted in a school and telling me that whatever decision I make is the right decision.”
His role at the next level remains to be seen, but Conner said he feels like he can help Sargent’s club in multiple ways.
“I’ve had talks with Coach Sargent about what I am,” he said. “I play point guard during high school, but I’m more of a wing in AAU, so I think anything between the (point guard, shooting guard, small forward) is what I’m comfortable with, and I think depending on what role they need me in I can work to become whatever type of player that we need.”
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