In the annual ESPN survey of NBA executives previewing rookies across the NBA, interesting storylines were created. Two players, Ron Holland and AJ Johnson, both received the highest votes for the NBA draft’s biggest reach. Johnson was the 23rd overall pick and is largely considered a long-term project for Milwaukee. For the purposes of this article, Holland will be the focus as the fifth overall selection.
Obviously, being selected as the ‘biggest reach’ in an NBA draft class isn’t where you want to be. It means that a player was selected higher than what most people considered them to be worth. Certain NBA executives must believe that Holland wasn’t worthy of the fifth overall selection. Of course, NBA executives are not perfect predictors and have been wrong plenty of times.
Are they wrong or right about Holland?
NBA Execs Say Ron Holland Was The “Biggest Reach” In 2024 NBA Draft
Player Profile
Holland’s player profile entering the draft was somewhat polarizing. Holland was the number two overall prospect in the class of 2023. He chose to forego college eligibility and play for the NBA’s G-league Ignite program. The strengths of Holland’s game at this stage mostly revolve around his physical gifts and athletic profile. He’s a six-foot-eight wing that moves fluidly with great vertical and lateral athleticism. He uses his athleticism along with an incredible motor to really shine on the defensive end of the floor. Holland’s on-ball defensive efforts at times are best in class, and this skill set projects well in an NBA setting. Given his size and mobility, it’s possible he could end up guarding positions one through four.
Offensively is where Holland is still slightly raw. He’s great in transition and on decisive drives to the basket using his athletic gifts and fluidity. His perimeter shooting and ball handling however are still question marks at this point in the game.
In the NBA Summer League, Holland was actually a bright spot on offense, but his deficiencies were still present. Holland ended up averaging 18.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. However, he also only shot 23.5 percent from the three-point line on an average of four attempts. It was a four-game sample size though, and rookies are known for inefficiencies in summer league play.
With Holland’s flashes and athletic profile though, why is he considered the biggest reach in this NBA draft class? There may be factors outside of Holland’s control.
Player Or Team Problem?
In our first-round reactions, it’s clear we believe Holland is a great prospect. Could it be that the problem, however, is more with the team that selected him? The Pistons were notoriously in somewhat of a flux throughout this draft process. They received the fifth selection for three straight years despite having the worst record in the league the past two seasons. They also made their 2024 NBA draft selection without a head coach having been signed.
The Pistons needed wing help, but preferably someone with plus shooting ability. Well as you can see from the player profile above, this was one of the perceived weaknesses in Holland’s game. Holland’s fit next to other non-shooting threats like Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren doesn’t seem to be ideal. To be fair, no rookie considered to have been worthy of a top-five selection shot the ball particularly well from deep in summer league. Even sharpshooter Reed Sheppard, who was First Team All-Summer League, shot just 27.8 percent from deep.
Holland’s place as the biggest reach in this NBA draft class isn’t solely an individual problem. The Pistons’ terrible draft luck, poor roster construction, and poor track record of development must play a huge role.
Last Word On Ron Holland
In all fairness, I think Holland has all the tools for a successful NBA career. His floor as an athletic swingman could be valuable for a plethora of NBA teams. Unfortunately, the Pistons may be one of the few teams where that archetype isn’t a good fit. This certainly could have played a major role in NBA executives’ decisions to vote for Holland as the biggest reach in this NBA draft class. Even players such as Jaden Ivey and Cade Cunningham don’t receive the NBA attention they deserve due to the Pistons’ struggles.
For a brighter outlook though, the Pistons are under new management with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Possibly more importantly, they also hired Fred Vinson as one of their assistants. He’s known prolifically as a ‘shot doctor’ of sorts in NBA circles. If Holland’s shooting ability is unlocked to its fullest potential, all of a sudden we could be talking about the biggest steal instead of the biggest reach.
