From UD Arena to the NBA: Where Dayton Alumni Stand This Season

This story was originally published in the Flyer News 2025-26 Basketball Digital Edition

Gabriel Ward | Sports Editor

DAYTON, Ohio – From UD Arena to the NBA, former Flyers are leaving their mark in the game's biggest league. With the NBA season in full swing, here's a look at how some former Flyers are doing with their professional teams this season. 

Obi Toppin (2018-20)

It was announced by the Pacers in late October that Toppin would need to undergo surgery in order to repair a partial stress fracture in his right foot. This injury is expected to sideline him for at least three months, up until around Feb. 1, at the earliest, according to ESPN. Before his injury, Toppin appeared in three games and averaged 14 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Despite the injury, there was some positive news recently for Toppin as he was inducted into the University of Dayton Athletics Hall of Fame. Toppin was honored and received, for the first time, his 2020 Naismith College Player of the Year Trophy in the Flyers' 84-61 win over North Florida on Dec. 13. 

Toumani Camara (2021-23)

On Oct. 19, the Portland Trail Blazers and Camara agreed to terms on a four-year, $82 million contract extension, which was first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, that will keep Camara in Portland through the 2029 season. On the court, Camara is averaging 12.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. Last season, Camara was honored as an NBA All-Defensive Second Team player; however, this season he has seen a dip in his defensive metrics. His 116.2 defensive rating is only the 12th best on the Trail Blazers roster, according to NBA Advanced Stats. Time will tell if this is just early-season woes for Camara, but as it stands, his defensive production has dropped since his breakout season.

Daron Holmes II (2021-24)

Holmes was drafted with the 22nd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets, but an Achilles injury in his Summer League debut delayed the start of his NBA career. He officially made his NBA debut this season on Oct. 25, scoring three points in the win over the Phoenix Suns. This season, Holmes has been with both the Nuggets and their G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold. With Grand Rapids, Holmes has been a key contributor, starting in 13 games and averaging 20.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. In his first season of professional basketball, Holmes has drawn attention from within the organization and could see some increased playing time with the Nuggets. 

Koby Brea (2020-24)

After graduating from the University of Dayton in 2024, Brea played his final collegiate season at the University of Kentucky before declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft, where he would be selected in the second round with the 41st overall pick by the Warriors. His draft rights were then traded to the Phoenix Suns. So far this season, Brea has appeared in two NBA games and is averaging 2 points per game. He made his debut on Nov. 2, in a win over the San Antonio Spurs, where he scored all four points of his NBA career. Like Holmes, Brea has also been developing in the G League with his team's affiliate, the Valley Suns. With the Valley Suns, Brea has appeared in nine games and is averaging 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Where UD fans are used to seeing Brea behind the three-point line, with the Valley Suns, he is shooting 31.3% from three.