The Dayton Flyers ended the 2024-25 season 23-11 (12-6 A-10), finishing third in the Atlantic-10 Conference and missing the NCAA Tournament. The Flyers accepted a bid to the NIT, falling in the second round to the eventual champions, Chattanooga. This offseason was one filled with many changes, as Dayton is a program where any season it misses the NCAA Tournament is deemed a failure.Â
The Flyers underwent numerous roster changes as key contributors, including Nate Santos, Posh Alexander and Zed Key, all graduated. Only three players from last year entered the transfer portal, with Marvel Allen transferring to Utah Tech, Issac Jack transferring to Pacific University, and Malachi Smith transferring to Connecticut.
Allen, a sophomore who was a promising recruit, has dealt with injuries his entire collegiate career. Jack transferred to Dayton two years ago and averaged eight minutes per game the last two seasons backing up Daron Holmes II and Zed Key. Smith averaged 10.4 points and 5.3 assists last season and is a loss for Dayton.
Although the Flyers lost some key players, they made quality additions in the transfer portal. According to 247 Sports, the Flyers have the second-best transfer class in the Atlantic 10 (72nd nationally), adding five new players to the roster:
De’Shayne Montgomery (Junior, Guard, Georgia)
De’Shayne Montgomery started his college career at Mount Saint Mary’s, averaging 13.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals in 32 games as a freshman. He also earned Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year. Montgomery then transferred to Georgia, appearing in only 17 games. Montgomery started the year academically ineligible and missed the first 10 games of the season. He then averaged 6.5 points and 2.1 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game.
Montgomery is a well-rounded player who excels at perimeter defense, can attack the hoop as effectively as anyone andgets hot from beyond the arc. Montgomery will be a great addition to Flyers’ backcourt with Alexander and Smith departing.
Malcolm Thomas (Sophomore, Forward, Villanova)
Malcolm Thomas entered the transfer portal after his redshirt freshman season following the firing of head coach Kyle Neptune. Thomas was a former three-star recruit and the second-best player in Maryland. The highflying, hyper-athletic 6-foot-8 forward will match up perfectly alongside Dayton center Amael L’Etang, bringing a mix of height and athleticism to the backcourt, which was an issue for Dayton last year.
Jordan Derkack (Senior, Guard, Rutgers)
Jordan Derkack started his collegiate career at Merrimack, where he was teammates with current Dayton Flyer Javon Bennett. Derkack averaged 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game in his final season at Merrimack. Derkack transferred to Rutgers after his sophomore season and took a step back, averaging 5.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.Â
The 6-foot-6 guard is a gifted driver, getting to the basket with ease and finishing through contact. He posted a season-high 26 points against eighth-ranked Michigan State on just 11 shots. Derkack can take over a game, something the Flyers could need with the departure of Santos.
Bryce Heard (Sophomore, Guard, NC State)
Bryce Heard played in 24 games for North Carolina State in 2024-25, averaging 1.2 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.3 assists in just over six minutes per game. The former three-star prospect was the sixth-ranked recruit in Illinois and entered the transfer portal after the firing of Kevin Keatts.
Heard excels at shooting off the catch, scoring over bigger defenders and is a force in transition. Although Heard didn’t see the floor much this past season, new surroundings on a team full of opportunities might be exactly what he needs. Heard provides much-needed depth to the guard position and will likely play a role as one of the first guys off the bench for the Flyers.
Adam Njie (Sophomore, Guard, Iona)
Adam Njie finished his freshman year at Iona averaging 12.4 points, 4.2 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 33 games last season for the Gaels. At 6-foot-3, Njie is excellent at getting to the rim and finishing, finding open teammates all over the court and being a solid perimeter defender with very active hands.
Njie plays a similar style to Smith, who just left the Flyers for UConn. Ngjie struggled with his 3-point shooting at times this season, a problem that is likely to improve going into the 2025-26 season. The 19-year-old guard is very young and could grow into a large role in Dayton, Ohio.
High School Additions
Along with the five transfers the Flyers added, they also have two promising high school recruits coming in next season.
The first recruit is Damon Friery, a 6-foot-9 forward from Cleveland, Ohio, who was a three-star recruit and the fourth-best player in Ohio. Friery has a similar stretch big play style to Jacob Conner, a forward for the Flyers.
Their second recruit is Jaron McKie, a 6-foot-2 guard from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who was the seventh-ranked player in the state. McKie brings a skill set of shooting off the dribble and off the catch. He is one of the better pure shooters this year. McKie also excels in the pick-and-roll game, as well as in transition, with his speed being one of his most notable attributes.
