He had to be, just like his teammate this season Matas Buzelisone of the favorites to be the “first pick” of this 2024 Draft. Ron Holland will most certainly not be the first name called by Adam Silver on June 26. But his talent and his qualities make him one of the most intriguing potentials of this vintage. At only 18 years old (he will be 19 on July 7), the winger is an unfinished product, and he does not provide the same “security” as his sidekicks Zacharie Risacher, Dalton Knecht, even Matas Buzelis. In terms of potential, not sure that many players have a ceiling as high as that of the G-League player Ignite.
His choice to start his career in the NBA lobby was not the most profitable. In a frankly disappointing team, he had the merit of establishing himself as the boss, on both sides of the field, even more than before in high school. Injured thumb, Ron Holland hasn't played since the end of January. His thirty or so matches showed enough to get an idea of the player, even if the collective mediocrity of the Ignite made it more difficult to analyze his prospects.
Sometimes a little technically crude, he is more of a brute when it comes to being familiar with the hoop. Hyper spectacular, Ron Holland will already be a contender for the loyalty card in the Top 10 of the night for his powerful and aerial dunks, but also for his defensive qualities. It is also probably on this side of the floor that the Texan offers the most guarantees, which should allow him to integrate well regardless of the team that selects him.
Profile
Job : winger
Size : 1m99
Weight : 89kg
Team : G-League Ignite
Stats 2023/24: 19.5 points (at 46.0%), 6.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists in 31.9 minutes
Strong points
– Defense. Very quick on his feet, lively on the passing lines (2.3 interceptions on average), and concerned with the one-on-one challenge, Ron Holland frequently defends hard and is capable of completely shutting down his opponent in sequences. His jump and speed complete his technical arsenal and allow him to cover the circle or provide defensive assistance without the ball. This opens the way for him to punish in transition, where he can make his physicality do the talking.
– “Slasher” qualities. In this register, he has no equivalent in this 2024 Draft. Explosive on the first step, he is difficult to stop once launched towards the circle. If he sometimes strangely lacks touch, this is not the case in terms of variety in his penetrations (offset presses, absorption of contact, acceleration/deceleration, etc.). A fierce dunker, he gets in the air fast and hard and has no qualms about putting anyone on the poster.
Weak points
– Decision making. His ease of scoring in penetration sometimes tends to work against him. Ron Holland must better judge his drive starts, where he sometimes tends to rush headlong. Yet not selfish, this proportion of forcing or impaling himself in the opposing defense makes him collect lost balls (negative assists/lost ball ratio) and missed passing opportunities. And the NBA defense near the basket will be of a completely different intensity from that of the G-League.
– Outside shooting. This is Ron Holland's main area of progress. At only 24% this season behind the arc, he is currently not a threat and NBA defenses could take advantage of this to give him space and at the same time hinder access to the racket. If everything is not to be thrown away, his mechanics still require a large dose of work as his shooting is inconsistent whether in cadence, finishing and preparation of supports.
Comparison
Position 3 counting above all his physical qualities, Ron Holland is in the same mold as a Tari Easoneven Jaylen Brown upon his arrival in the NBA. Besides the MVP of the final won by the Celtics, why not imagine a trajectory like Gerald Wallacean athlete above the rest who has become a more complete basketball player over the years.
Prognosis
In the lottery, probably around 10e placeas the Top 8 seems more and more locked as the Draft approaches.
