Africentric's Dailyn Swain emerging as one of Ohio's best for 2023 (2024)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Columbus Africentric wing Dailyn Swain is emerging as one of Ohio’s top 2023 basketball prospects.

The 6-6 Swain is one of the stars for the All-Ohio Red 16-U travel team, which has posted a 16-0 record through four tournaments already this spring. That team went 4-0 this past weekend at the NY2LA Grassroots Invitational in Louisville. They will be at the Bill Hensley Run ‘N Slam tournament this weekend in Fort Wayne, Ind.

He plays on that team alongside a number of other impressive players, including point guard Lawrent Rice (Huber Heights Wayne), forward James Okonkwo (Beckley, W.Va., Prep) and guards Devin Royal and Sonny Styles (both from Pickerington Central). Styles, of course, is also a national top-50 football prospect in the 2023 class.

“It’s a really good team,” Swain said. “I’m surrounded by all elite players. It brings the best out of everybody on the team. It just feels really good to play with other great players.”

Swain averaged 17 points per game this past season as a sophom*ore at Africentric, which posted a 5-1 record in a season cut short because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I was happy, but we had to end our season early before the tournament,” Swain said. “We had a Covid case. But we did pretty well.”

Swain talked about what he hopes to show college scouts, who will watch his games via webcast until they are permitted to attend games in person later this summer.

“I want to show my pride on the defensive end and guard the opponent’s best player every game,” he said. “I’m a playmaker for my team and helping my teammates get good looks and do things besides just scoring.”

“I’m working on my strength and making my jump shot more consistent with every single game.”

Swain believes he has the versatility to play a lot of different positions.

“Right now, I feel like I can guard the one through the five,” Swain said. “I feel positionless. I can figure that out later on. Right now, I just do whatever my coaches want me to do.”

Ohio U. is the lone school that has come in with an offer so far, Swain said.

“They are a great school and they won the MAC tournament this year,” Swain said. “They pulled off an upset in the NCAA Tournament. The school is really on the rise.”

Swain said his hometown school Ohio State has also been in touch.

“I have talked to (assistant) Ryan Pedon,” he said. “I talked to him recently. They want me to see me taking pride and guarding the best player every game and get into my shots and knock my shots down.”

Asked which major conference schools have been in touch, Swain said, “I’ve talked to Arizona, Ohio State and Indiana. Those are the Big Ten or Power Five schools I have heard from. I feel like it’s all going to come in. It’s just a process right now.

“I’m just working on getting better and winning games with my team.”

Below, we have photos of Swain in action as well as photos of his All-Ohio Red 16-U teammates. Plus, we have various social media posts with photos and videos from this spring.