After waiting longer than originally expected to sign a transfer this offseason, Anthony Grant and the Dayton Flyers finally got their guy. Elijah Weaver, one of the most notable transfers in the country, announced his commitment to Dayton on Memorial Day. After playing his first two seasons of college basketball at USC, Weaver announced he was entering the transfer portal back on April 28th. A native of Oldsmar, Florida, Weaver announced a list of his final top three schools including UCF, Arkansas, and Dayton before eventually committing to the Flyers.
COMMITED‼️ @DaytonMBB pic.twitter.com/g6rQaFCvmX
— Elijah Weaver (@___ewr) May 25, 2020
At 6’6″ 210lbs, Weaver is a versatile perimeter player. He can handle the ball extremely well and play anywhere from point guard to small forward. The strength Weaver added since getting to college also allows him to finish through contact around the hoop. Coming out of high school, every major recruiting site rated Weaver as a four-star prospect. Additionally, he was ranked as a top 50 player in the country by ESPN (No. 37) and 247sports (No. 45). As a freshman at USC, the highly talented guard played in 28 games and averaged 5.1 points on 20.4 minutes per game. Last year, as a sophomore, Weaver posted 6.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in 22 minutes per game. He appeared in each of USC’s 31 games and started 14 of them.
With two years of college eligibility remaining, I think Weaver will make the most of it at Dayton. His talent and athleticism should fit perfectly into Anthony Grant’s style of offense. While Weaver certainly has the skills to create shots for himself, I expect him to benefit substantially from the Flyers’ constant ball movement. Dayton finished third in the country in assists per game last season, averaging 17.6 as a team. As a result, I would not be surprised to see Weaver’s points per game and shooting percentage rise significantly. With Anthony Grant and Dayton’s staff in his corner, Weaver has the chance to become a star at Dayton and show the nation why he was a top 50 recruit coming out of high school.
Featured Image via @FlyersPrime on Twitter.