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Dayton center DaRon Holmes should be on the shortlist of any breakout player projection in college basketball. A 6-foot-10 big man, Holmes had a monster freshman season that saw him make the All-Defense team in the Atlantic 10, win Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Year and earn second-team All-Atlantic 10 honors. Dayton coach Anthony Grant couldn’t have expected all of that so quickly, but it’s not a surprise that the twitchy big man out of Goodyear, Ariz., made an early impact. He was the highest-rated recruit to ever commit to Dayton back in 2020, a direct result of the Flyers’ success the previous year.
Thunder assistant coach Anthony Grant was announced as the new head coach at Dayton on Thursday. Grant, who played at Dayton from 1983-87, was in town Thursday for the Thunder’s team photo, but won’t be on the bench Friday as the Thunder plays the Spurs at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Donovan said he doesn’t think the Thunder needs to add a coach with eight games to go, and that he’s comfortable with the staff currently in place. Grant’s day-to-day responsibilities such as scouting could be delegated among the current staff members.
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Royce Young: Thunder have officially announced their coaching staff: Monty Williams, Mo Cheeks and Anthony Grant are assistants. The Thunder also add Billy Schmidt as "quality control coach." Mark Bryant and Darko Rajakovic will also remain on staff as assistants.
The Thunder are expected to retain Mark Bryant, Darko Rajakovic and Adam Harrington off former coach Scott Brooks' staff. ESPN Insider Jeff Goodman has reported that Anthony Grant will follow Donovan from Florida to be an assistant with the Thunder.
Donovan will keep Oklahoma City assistant Mark Bryant and Darko Rajakovic on staff, and make former Alabama coach Anthony Grant his No. 3 assistant coach, league sources said. Another member of Donovan’s Florida staff, Billy Schmidt, could join Oklahoma City in a player development role, sources said. Donovan spent 19 seasons at the University of Florida, but has a strong network of NBA coaching relationships that are helping to construct his staff. Thunder management is playing a part in the process too.
Still nothing official from the Thunder but head coach Billy Donovan has apparently decided to bring at least one of his assistants from the University of Florida here to Oklahoma City and let go at least one of the assistants from Scott Brooks' staff. Several reports over the last few days indicate Anthony Grant, the former head coach at Alabama and VCU and before those stops a long-time assistant for Donovan at both Florida and Marshall University, would be joining the Thunder staff.
In Friday’s paper, we took a look at some possible candidates to join Billy Donovan’s soon to be compiled coaching staff. You can read that by clicking here. Among those listed was Anthony Grant, a long-time assistant and friend of Donovan’s. Late Thursday night, a report from The Gainesville Sun said Grant would “definitely” follow Donovan to Oklahoma City.
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