Holmes played high school basketball in his native town of Okmulgee, Oklahoma: he was a nationally ranked power forward,[1] and averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds per game during his junior year.

[2] For his senior year he improved his averages to 21.9 points[3] and 11 rebounds per game,[4] and was selected in the Super 5, the list of the top 5 players in the state of Oklahoma by The Daily Oklahoman.

[5] He also won the state championship, beating McLain High School 55–51 in the final game during which he was the top scorer with 15 points.

[6] During his high school career Holmes was recruited by 50 colleges, and restricted his choice between Houston and Oklahoma: he ultimately chose the latter, and signed to play for the Sooners in November 1986.

He averaged career-highs in all statistical categories with 14.8 points, a team-best 9.3 rebounds,[11] 1.3 assists, 1 steal and 0.4 blocks per game in 30.8 minutes.

He then went back to the Columbus Horizon and played the 1992–93 CBA season there, averaging 8.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 51 appearances.

[18] In his first year with the Cavalry he averaged 14.7 points and 5.8 rebounds: in the summer of 1994 he transferred to the Westchester Stallions of the USBL and earned All-USBL Second Team honors.

After a brief stint in France with LNB Pro B team Étoile Angers, which released him in September 1998,[21] he played his last season in the CBA (1998–99) averaging 13 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 35 minutes per game.