Anthony Grant: From Dayton student to Dayton phenomenon
DAYTON, Ohio (BVM) — A husband, father of four, University of Dayton graduate and former NBA staff member for the Oklahoma City Thunder are just a few of the many titles Anthony Grant has under his plate.
Growing up in Miami, Fla., Grant quickly entered the lifestyle of an athlete, playing basketball for Miami Senior High School. After performing at an exceptional level, Grant became an All-City first-team selection, as well as Player of the Year. It was apparent that his basketball career was just beginning when Grant packed his bags and moved to Dayton to join the men’s basketball team.
The Miami native did not disappoint at Dayton. During his time as a Flyer, the forward played a total of 105 games. In those appearances, he averaged 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds. Not only was the 6-foot-5 forward a team captain and awarded MVP, but he also led the Flyers to two NCAA Tournament appearances, one which went as far as the Elite Eight.
Grant became a special attribute to Dayton, and it was a matter of time before the star player made his way back to his beloved Ohio home.
After graduating from Dayton in 1987, Grant continued his career with the Miami Tropics of the United States Basketball League, but soon after ditched the court partially for the classroom.
Grant taught at a high school in the Miami area until he returned to the collegiate level as an assistant basketball coach. After helping out at Stetson and Marshall, the Dayton alum landed an impressive role as assistant under Billy Donovan for the Florida Gators. Grant stayed in Gainesville, Fla. for about a decade before pursuing a larger opportunity as head coach for Virginia Commonwealth University’s men’s basketball team.
Grant’s shining moment at VCU included leading the team to defeating No. 6 Duke, 79-77, during the second round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament. After three years with the Rams, the former school teacher shifted south to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to become head coach for the University of Alabama men’s basketball team. Although Grant was fired by the Crimson Tide in 2015, he led the team to the 2012 NCAA Tournament, which was the first visit since 2006.
Grant did not let his unfortunate dismissal from Alabama halt him from continuing his coaching journey. Moving up a level, the Miami native landed a job with the Oklahoma City Thunder as an assistant for friend and former colleague, Billy Donovan. While it is certain Grant gained impactful experience in the NBA, a certain job opened up in 2017 that had Grant’s name all over it.
On March 30, 2017, the Dayton alum became the Flyers’ men’s basketball head coach. Back at his stomping grounds, Grant got down to work quickly, starting with recruiting Dayton’s now biggest modern day superstar, Obi Toppin.
Dayton’s first two seasons with Grant were periods of restructuring and building the team dynamic. It was not until the 2019-20 season that the country saw just how great of a coach Grant was. Ending the season 29-2 and No. 3 in the country, Grant set records for most wins in a season, as well as the first season ever to go undefeated in conference play.
It seems as if overnight the Dayton head coach became a national superstar. He earned the award of ‘National Coach of the Year’ from many outlets, such as Sporting News, Fox Sports, the Associated Press and the NABC.
Ultimately, Grant brought basketball back to life in Dayton. Although it is uncertain how Dayton would have performed in the 2020 NCAA tournament, it is certain the Flyers gained national respect and recognition for their hard work. As the 1987 graduate continues his legacy at Dayton, let it be known that the best is yet to come for Flyer fans everywhere.
