Former DeMatha star, son of NBA player Etan Thomas, transfers to Dayton

Malcolm Thomas finds a new home with the Flyers via the transfer portal

Former Dematha and Team Durant basketball star Malcolm Thomas has transferred from Villanova to Dayton. / Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK

The University of Dayton men’s basketball program has received a pledge from the son of a former NBA player. 

Malcolm Thomas, the son of former Washington Wizards center/power forward Etan Thomas, has transferred from Villanova to Dayton according to his father’s Facebook page. 

The Dayton Flyers, who compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference, are led by head coach Anthony Grant. 

“Coach Anthony Grant was literally everything me and my wife Nichole have prayed for in a coach for Malcolm,” Etan Thomas said in a Facebook post, “but we didn’t want to jump to conclusions. We had a lot of schools who were interested and were planning on taking our time and going through the whole process. But then we took a visit to Dayton and they knocked it out the park. The entire coaching staff just felt genuine, not like you were being sold snake oil or being hustled by a used car salesman. There was an immediate connection.” 

Malcolm Thomas, who played high school basketball at DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Maryland, spent this past season as a true freshman at Villanova but did not play for the Wildcats. 

Villanova fired head coach Kyle Neptune last month after a three-year run in which he compiled a 54-47 overall record but failed to make the NCAA Tournament.  

Former Maryland head coach Kevin Willard replaced Neptune at Villanova and -- amid the coaching transition -- the DeMatha product entered the transfer portal April 16 with all four years of eligibility intact. He committed to Dayton on April 24. 

Anthony Grant has been the head coach at his alma mater Dayton since 2017 and his program has produced several NBA players including Indiana Pacers power forward Obi Toppin. 

“They made no promises but their offense is geared to someone like Malcolm succeeding,” Etan Thomas continued. “They broke down to us how they see him in the Obi Toppin mold and how much they would value him.” 

The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 11.6 points and 4.7 blocks per game during his junior campaign at DeMatha and was recruited by numerous Division 1 college programs. 

“Dayton may not have been on our radar before,” Etan Thomas added, “but now, we are excited to join this program and can’t wait for what God has in store for him.”