3. DaRon Holmes II, big man, Dayton
Age: 21
Size: 6-9, 7-1 wingspan, 236 pounds
Signature strength: Intelligent, shot-blocking center who can do a bit of everything.
Notable weakness: Is 3-point shooting for real?
Change from last big board: Up five spots.
This one might come as a surprise but, as we know, the Heat don’t stick to consensus when it comes to their draft board.
Still, as teams dig into his film, Holmes is rising big boards across the league. It’s notable that he received a green room invite for Wednesday night’s first round, and there’s more noise that Holmes could get selected in the top 20.
The three-year collegian averaged 20.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.1 blocks while shooting 38.6% from 3-point range last season.
He’s also a smart, do-everything defender who can play power forward and center in a switching scheme. He always maintains a defensive stance, boxes out, sprints the floor after stops and makes himself available for passes. He doesn’t put his head down when he doesn’t get the ball, and his competitive streak is evident from a healthy dose of trash talk.
Is DaRon Holmes’ landing spot one of the most anticipated in the 2024 NBA Draft? 👀
— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) June 17, 2024
6’10” | 236 lbs | 21 years old | C - @DaytonMBB
◦20.4 PTS, 8.5 REB, 2.6 AST, 0.9 STL, 2.1 BLK
◦54.4 FG% 38.6 3PT% 71.3 FT%
◦33 Games, 32.5 MIN
One of the top center prospects in this draft… pic.twitter.com/o6x8W8xV95
It’s easy to see Holmes (6-foot-9, 7-foot-1 wingspan) backing up or playing next to Bam Adebayo. Selecting Holmes would give the Heat something in between Adebayo and Nikola Jovic and could complete a mix-and-match frontcourt trio for years to come.