Ex-Millennium standout DaRon Holmes II suffers Achilles injury in summer game with Nuggets

Former Goodyear Millennium forward DaRon Holmes II likely had his first season with the Denver Nuggets wiped out after suffering a devastating injury in his first NBA Summer League game Friday night.

The 6-foot-9 Holmes, the 22nd overall draft pick out of Dayton, suffered a torn Achilles tendon in an 88-78 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, according to The Athletic and multiple other media outlets' reports.

Holmes is expected to miss all of the 2024-25 season, the report says.

He had 11 points, seven rebounds, a steal and an assist in 26 minutes of his Summer League debut with the Nuggets.

He was expected to give the Nuggets a boost next season.

Holmes was drafted by the Suns, but the pick was traded to the Nuggets.

Holmes' defense and rebounding were expected to help complement the Nuggets' frontcourt.

He played three seasons at Dayton, before entering the NBA draft. He was named to six All-American teams last season and was one of only two Division I players who had more than 65 dunks, 65 blocks and 65 assists during the 2023-24 season.

Holmes was a two-time Gatorade Arizona High School Basketball Player of the Year his sophomore and junior seasons at Millennium.

Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. He also covers Grand Canyon University athletics and the Arizona Rattlers. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azc_obert