Dayton coach Anthony Grant said he has 'tremendous respect' for fired OSU coach Holtmann
DAYTON − Anthony Grant didn’t know Chris Holtmann well until the Dayton men’s basketball coach approached the now-former Ohio State coach about playing an exhibition game for a heartfelt cause.
Grant’s daughter, Jayda, died by suicide in 2022, and he wanted a high-profile showcase to promote mental health.
“Ohio State obviously is the flagship program in the state,” Grant said Saturday following the Flyers’ victory over Fordham. “Reaching out to Chris, I didn’t know if that was something they were able to do. Immediately, he said, ‘I’m on board. I know what you guys have been through, so whatever we can do (we will).’ ”
Ohio State traveled to Dayton Arena for a scrimmage in front of a sellout crowd of 13,409 in October. OSU won that scrimmage, but the Buckeyes’ and Flyers’ seasons diverged after that. Last week, Ohio State fired Holtmann.
“Seeing what he was able to build there, I have tremendous respect for how he does it, who he is as a basketball coach, and more importantly, who he is as a man,” Grant said.
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He and Holtmann were hired by their schools in 2017. Grant had been fired as Alabama coach late in the 2014-15 season.
“I’ve had to walk that path myself – being let go before – so I know that (pain),” he said. “You’re not going to get a guy with better character, with better values."
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He said that the changing landscape of college basketball makes it difficult for coaches. Grant pointed out that Holtmann has lost players early to the NBA and decided to rely more on high school recruits than transfers, which usually requires patience.
“I know it hadn’t been what the fans and the supporters maybe wanted the last two years, but we as coaches, we kind of know what it is,” Grant said. “My thing is, Chris is what this profession should be in terms of helping young kids mature, doing it the right way, and just helping them become men.
“That's what I saw when I watched his teams play and when we had conversations. I’ve got nothing but respect. To me, he's a winner.”
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Dayton coach Anthony Grant: 'Tremendous respect' for Chris Holtmann
