When the second-rated prospect in the state lives less than 15 minutes away from the Schottenstein Center, it’s safe to assume the Buckeye coaching staff is keeping a close eye on said player.
Chris Holtmann and company have seen plenty of Afriecentric’s Dailyn Swain on the hardwood already this spring, as the 6-foot-6 forward has been making the rounds with All-Ohio Red on the AAU circuit. But the Ohio State staff has made it a point to watch Swain when he’s off the court, too.
The basketball court, anyway.
Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann is serious about Dailyn Swain
— Zach Fleer (@ZachFleer270) April 26, 2022
So serious that he and assistant coach Jake Diebler went and watched the Africentric junior play tennis today
True story
Zach Fleer of 270Hoops reported last week that Holtmann and top Ohio State assistant Jake Diebler showed up to watch Swain play tennis at Africentric, and given the length possessed by the rangy wing, there’s little doubt he impressed in that domain as well.
Swain confirmed as much on Twitter, saying that he got the win on the tennis court with the Buckeye coaching staff in attendance.
Caught the W if anyone was wondering https://t.co/UKARiWhm1u
— dailyn swain (@dai1yn) April 27, 2022
Now Ohio State will try to win Swain over on the recruiting trail despite widespread interest in the top-100 prospect, who ranks No. 63 overall and No. 15 among all small forwards in the class. As Swain told Eleven Warriors at the Nike EYBL event in Indianapolis on April 23, though, communication with the Buckeye coaches is quite frequent.
“(I hear from Ohio State) multiple times a week,” Swain said. “There hasn’t been a week where I haven’t talked to them, so they stay in touch a lot and I stay in touch too.”
Both Diebler and fellow Ohio State assistant Mike Netti were present at the Pacers Athletic Center to watch Swain and company play at the aforementioned three-day AAU event, where All-Ohio Red went 2-2 while Swain put up 8.3 points per game.
Swain’s offensive output was a bit lower than usual, given that he averaged 11.3 points in Orlando during the first EYBL session of the spring, but the athletic wing had flashes of standout play nonetheless. After two sessions of EYBL play, Swain leads all competitors with 2.8 steals per game, and that defensive activity resulted in numerous transition run-outs for All-Ohio Red, often resulting in dunks for Swain or his teammates at the other end.
More of a perimeter-oriented forward, Swain was a primary ballhandler in certain lineups for All-Ohio Red, but still has the size to mix it up inside as well. If Swain continues to fill out his frame, he figures to have the potential to play multiple positions for a team at the next level, which might be what the Buckeye staff likes the most about his game.
“Really just versatility, being able to play a lot of positions on the floor and seeing how high my ceiling is, they really understand that,” Swain said.
But even with Ohio State’s obvious interest in the local product, Swain said “it’s all even” between the number of suitors that he hears from most, and said there isn’t necessarily one program that is “mounting over another” at this juncture. Given that the AAU circuit will only get his talent in front of more sets of eyes, Swain has the chance to develop new relationships with coaching staffs over the coming months.
“Xavier, Marquette, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati. Couple other schools. … I don’t feel like that’s the top because I’m hearing from a lot of new schools,” Swain said. “Just waiting to see what they need to see and waiting to pull the trigger. There’s a lot more to explore.”
Ohio State also has clear interest in one of Swain’s teammates on All-Ohio Red, with Pickerington Central’s Devin Royal – the No. 86 player in the country and fourth-ranked prospect in Ohio – also playing the small forward position.
However, their on-court chemistry is clear in any All-Ohio Red game, and with Royal’s propensity to play inside as more of a physical force than Swain, it isn’t particularly difficult to imagine them coexisting on the floor at the same time.
During the high school basketball season, Swain led Africentric on an unexpected run to the state final four this past year, a moment Swain called “surreal” for him and his teammates. To improve on that next season, and to maximize his game before reaching the college level, Swain knows he still has plenty to work on in the immediate future.
Strength is chief among the areas in which Swain is seeking improvement, along with developing his offensive repertoire beyond his obvious penchant for slashing to the rim.
“Getting stronger, getting a more consistent jump shot. Staying low, like when I dribble I usually get knocked off my line, so getting lower and being adjusted to my frame,” Swain said.
As far as when Swain may look to make a commitment decision, the Columbus native said “there’s really no rush” but that he may target a date some time before his senior year begins.
Before then, Swain will have plenty on his plate with the AAU circuit in full swing and coaching staffs around the country competing to earn his services.
“Everything’s picking up now,” Swain said. “All the colleges are done with their season, so recruiting’s picking up. We’re building chemistry, we’re becoming a really good team, coming together.”
