5 Players Heat fans should watch in the NCAA Tournament

4. Daron Holmes II, Dayton

Dayton making its first tournament appearance since 2017 gives Heat fans the chance to see Holmes in action. 

The 6-foot-9, 221-pound junior has improved each season in college and has worked his way to being a likely first-round pick. 

Sound familiar?

Miami drafted Jaquez for similar reasons, and it could be argued that Holmes is the big-man version of Jaquez in this draft. Holmes has a 7-foot-1 wingspan and provides reliable rim protection and has flashed some versatility. 

After shooting 27% from 3 over his first two seasons, Holmes is shooting 43.6% this season on 2.5 attempts per game. 

Here’s what CBS Sports wrote about Holmes in their latest scouting report: “Holmes is an athletic big man with a ton of variety in his game on both ends. He swats shots at the rim but can also move his feet to stay in front of smaller players. Offensively, he can score from the block or pull you out to the 3-point line with a sweet jumper. He can also put it on the deck and attack the closeout. Holmes is one of the most underrated players in this class.”