NCAA Basketball: 8 biggest takeaways from 2023 NBA Draft deadline results

DaRon Holmes decision to return may make Dayton A-10 favorites

There have been a number of decisions that on paper, have altered a few conference title races for next season. But a good argument can be made that the most important one came in the Atlantic 10 with the best-returning player, DaRon Holmes.

Dayton went 22-12 and tied for second last season in the A-10 and was 10 minutes away from making the NCAA Tournament. Due to the constant injuries in the backcourt, the frontcourt duo of Holmes and Toumani Camara led the way to make them good. Camara has already gone pro but Holmes, who led the team with 18.4 ppg and 8.1 rpg still had a decision to make.

Holmes was easily the best draft prospect in the conference. He’s a 6’10 center with a dominant physical game and is a two-time all-league defender besides also being a quality scorer. With Mustapha Amzil also gone, no one else on the team with more than 7.0 ppg would’ve been back had Holmes gone pro.

With VCU, George Mason, and Saint Louis starting over, along with Fordham losing its two leading scorers from last season, the A-10 is viewed as wide open in 2024. And with the best player in the conference back and hopefully, a healthy backcourt to go along with him, Dayton should feel good about its chances to win the league.