Dayton's Amaël L'Etang to Return for Third Season

Sophomore forward will join fellow big man Jaiun Simon in coming back to the Flyers.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 9:55pm

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Dayton Flyers sophomore forward Amaël L'Etang announced on social media that he will return for the 2026-27 season, joining fellow big man Jaiun Simon as players who will be back with the team. L'Etang started all but four games this past season due to injury, and scored in double figures in 16 of the 18 games he played after returning to full health.

Why it matters

L'Etang's decision to return gives the Flyers a strong frontcourt duo to build around next season, along with three highly-rated incoming freshmen. With only one non-senior player so far entering the transfer portal, Dayton is retaining much of its core from a 25-win team that reached the NIT quarterfinals.

The details

The 7-foot-1 French native L'Etang posted a career-high 26 points in Dayton's win over No. 23 Saint Louis in February. Along with L'Etang and Simon, the Flyers have three highly-rated incoming freshmen: Cody Peck, Aiden Derkack and Julian Washington. Sophomore guard Bryce Heard is the only Flyer so far to announce intentions to enter the transfer portal, leaving Malcolm Thomas and De'Shayne Montgomery as the only non-seniors with significant playing time whose futures are still uncertain.

  • L'Etang announced his return on Sunday, April 5, 2026.
  • The 2026-27 Dayton Flyers season will begin in the fall of 2026.

The players

Amaël L'Etang

A 7-foot-1 sophomore forward for the Dayton Flyers men's basketball team.

Jaiun Simon

A fellow big man who will also return to the Dayton Flyers for the 2026-27 season.

Cody Peck

One of three highly-rated incoming freshmen joining the Dayton Flyers next season.

Aiden Derkack

One of three highly-rated incoming freshmen joining the Dayton Flyers next season.

Julian Washington

One of three highly-rated incoming freshmen joining the Dayton Flyers next season.

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What they’re saying

“Excited for the journey ahead. Let's do it Flyer Nation.”

— Amaël L'Etang

What’s next

The Flyers will continue to monitor the transfer portal and finalize their 2026-27 roster in the coming months before the start of the new season.

The takeaway

With L'Etang and Simon returning to anchor the frontcourt, and a talented recruiting class joining the program, Dayton appears poised to build on its 25-win season and NIT quarterfinal appearance as it looks to make a push towards the NCAA Tournament in 2026-27.