Holmes Improvement: Dayton's Star Big Demonstrates Skillset Against George Washington

DaRon Holmes II's name is beginning to generate even more buzz in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Dayton Flyers star center DaRon Holmes is the kind of prospect whose age (born August 2002) and positional size (6-foot-10, 220 pounds) could be potential deterrents for being selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, but whose skillset and energy overpower those perceived flaws, making him an intriguing prospect at the very least. 

Let's take a look at his skillset on both ends.

Offense

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One of the first things noticeable about Holmes' game is that he's not trapped in the post or limited to simple post player abilities. 

He has the fluidity to move throughout the perimeter, and even a decent enough handle to set up dribble handoffs outside of the paint. He's also capable of the rip and run, pushing the pace after a defensive rebound due to his ability to move with the ball. 

In one instance against George Washington in late January (where he recorded 25 points, 12 boards, four assists, and two blocks), Holmes rejected a shot, tipped the rebound to himself, then handled the ball up the floor before passing it off to Dayton's lead guards. 

He's pretty crafty in the paint as well, able to use a myriad of spin moves and fakes in order to overcome the slightness of his frame while competing on the block. His spins are tight and quick, leaving no room to be stripped by an opposing defender at the rim. 

The versatility on the offensive end is really impressive, and now that Holmes is a legitimate catch-and-shoot three-point shooter (39.4% from deep this year), his offensive game has seemingly very few holes. 

He's averaging more assists (2.7) than turnovers (2.2) and more blocks (2.2) than fouls (2.0) this season. That's typically a pretty good sign. 

Defense

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The buzzword "versatility" absolutely applies to Holmes on both sides of the floor. On the defensive side, Holmes is an "eraser," a guy that not only rejects shots with regularity, but also a guy that deters attempts due to the simple threat of his post presence. 

The entire first few minutes of last night's game were a defensive struggle, with Holmes' presence absolutely stifling the George Washington offense, making them think twice about attacking the rack. He was a major reason Dayton was able to force them into so many bad looks early on. 

Holmes is active and quick, as well as having a clear feel for the game and real awareness. He's a solid ground-coverage athlete, and at 6-foot-10, he has the length combined with the mobility to make scoring on him not just an issue in the paint, but anywhere on the floor. 

His feet are constantly moving, keeping him in position to defend most players, from wings to bigs. Although his ideal role defensively is rim protection, he can defend players all over the floor. Both of his blocks last night consisted of rotating over from the weak side – playing the "roamer" suits Holmes well, as his sole focus here is rejecting shots.

Projected Draft Spot: Mid-to-Late First Round

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