ABC has announced that Grant Ellis will be the next star of The Bachelor, the 29th man since 2002 to assume the role. His selection was unveiled following the latest episode of Jenn Tran’s Bachelorette season, in which he was eliminated just shy of hometown dates.

The 30-year-old day trader from Houston was last seen as a suitor on the most recent season of The Bachelorette, where he became something of a fan favorite. In his last episode, Ellis confessed to falling in love with Tran, but made an emotional exit instead of securing a spot alongside the top four contestants: Marcus Shoberg, Jeremy Simon, Devin Strader, and Jonathan Johnson. During his one-on-one date in New Zealand this season, Ellis spoke about giving up his athletic career as a basketball player after a devastating injury. He also reflected on a difficult childhood impacted by his father’s substance-abuse issues.

ABC describes Ellis in its official announcement as a “self-proclaimed mama’s boy” with an “infectious smile and unwavering positivity” that “instantly brightens every room he enters.” The next Bachelor is a former pro basketball player who also has affinity for “cheering on the Lakers, hitting strikes at the bowling alley, or belting out tunes at karaoke nights.” As the incoming lead, Ellis “hopes to find a partner who shares his values of loyalty, humor, and a deep appreciation for life’s simple pleasures.”

Ellis becomes the second Black lead of The Bachelor, following the 2020 selection of Matt James, who is still dating his season’s winner, Rachael Kirkconnell. His casting follows a string of white leads, including Joey Graziadei and Zach Shallcross, who are each still engaged to their final rose recipients, and Clayton Echard, who ended his season single before reconnecting with contestant Susie Evans for a nearly yearlong relationship.

The next season of The Bachelor will air in 2025, which also brings the return of Bachelor in Paradise after a brief hiatus. After Tran’s season of The Bachelorette, the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelorette, led by former contestant Joan Vassos, airs on September 18.