Orillia Secondary School (OSS) Grade 12 student Liam Holmes has caught the eyes of basketball scouts across North America.
The 6’4" guard started playing basketball in Grade 4, following in the footsteps of his father who once played in the Canadian Summer Games.
“He would take me outside to shoot in the driveway,” Holmes recalled of those days. “I watched the NBA every night and would dream of being on a big stage.”
While the 17-year-old learned to play from his father, what made him fall in love with the game was the community aspects and the sense of achievement that comes with improving, he explained.
“Everyone is so supportive,” he said. “Basketball is something you can get better at every day and see the difference."
In Grade 7, Holmes started playing with the Orillia Lakers. He would soon outgrow the competition in the Sunshine City and moved his basketball career to Barrie where he played with the Royals.
Then, everything came crashing to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I saw the pandemic as an opportunity to get a head-start on the competition,” he said. “I started working out in my basement, taking shots in the driveway, and doing a lot of individual stuff that a lot of people probably weren’t doing at the time.”
In his Grade 11 and 12 years, Holmes started sending films of his work to prep school coaches.
“A lot of them liked what they saw and said I have potential,” he said. “I was playing basketball every day, 24/7.”
This year, Holmes moved his life to Toronto; he is playing for V3 Preparatory Academy where he travels across North America to play in highly competitive tournaments.
Every day Holmes, who won the OSS Future Legends award in 2020, leaves Orillia at 3:45 a.m. and doesn’t return until around midnight.
“It’s a grind for sure,” he said. “I just keep thinking about the end goal and what success it could lead to.”
He says he is fuelled by his passion for the game, which is what makes it all worth it.
Holmes’ end goal is to play Division I hoops in the United States, have four years of education paid for through a scholarship, and play at the professional level.
"I’ve had some Division II and III schools reach out,” he said. “It feels like the first stepping stone toward my goal.”
Holmes is well supported on his journey and he thanks his family, friends, and coaches for keeping him motivated.
“At times this can be difficult, and I wonder if I really want to be doing this," he admitted. “The work is super tough, but my family keeps me strong.”
You can follow Holmes and his basketball journey through his Instagram account.
