Ron Holland has been a polarizing NBA draft prospect playing for the G-league Ignite. He’s an athletic wing that will hope to bring a versatile skillset to an NBA team.
Ron Holland 2024 NBA Draft Profile:
Early Career:
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. Holland first burst onto the NBA draft scene in the Ignite’s exhibition game against the Perth Wildcats of the NBL. Holland scored 33 points and racked up 5 steals in a game that also included another top prospect, Alex Sarr.
This performance vaulted him into number one overall pick conversations and had many intrigued by his potential. As many know, the Ignite would go on to have a tumultuous season that eventually ended in their permanent cancellation. This fact combined with minor injuries gave way to what was an inconsistent season for Holland overall. He finished averaging 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 3.1 assists in 14 games of action.
Strengths:
Holland’s signature strength is the building block for the best attributes of his game, and that’s his athletic profile. He’s a six-foot-eight wing that moves fluidly with great vertical and lateral athleticism. He also possesses good strength and physique while still maintaining a lean frame. He uses his athleticism 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 comfortably.
Another strength of Holland’s is his motor and rebounding. You won’t find any scouts doubting Holland’s energy and competitiveness when he plays. Holland uses this energy to be relentless on the glass having almost averaged seven rebounds per game this season. This high-level effort and work ethic also can give teams confidence in Holland’s ability to capitalize on his potential. Holland isn’t the most polished prospect, but he has a ton of upside. In a draft that lacks star potential, teams will feel more comfortable betting on Holland due to his motor and work ethic.
Lastly, additional specific strengths that Holland showed throughout the year are his transition play combined with strong finishing. Being an athletic swingman with high energy, transition play, and attacking downhill are where Holland thrives best.
Weaknesses:
Holland has specific weaknesses, but almost all of them can be placed under the umbrella of a lack of consistency. While he flashed shot-making and three-point potential, his shooting numbers and true shooting percentages left a lot to be desired. He finished the season shooting an abysmal 24 percent from deep on 3.6 attempts per game. Next, Holland had the tendency to play out of control too often which led to turnover issues. While he averaged 3.1 assists per game, he combined that with 3.1 turnovers per game. Some of his turnovers were also due to a lack of an elite handle, causing him to sometimes struggle against tight on-ball defense.
This inconsistency even plagued him on the defensive end of the floor where he’s more advanced. He sometimes found himself out of position by being over-aggressive and gambling too often.
NBA Comparison:
While he hasn’t had the most consistent performance, Holland still can impact the game on both ends. His NBA-ready size and athleticism should translate well at the next level. For a pro comparison, he will remind a lot of people of Tari Eason coming out of LSU. However, Holland has shown far more flashes of a perimeter game than Eason at the same respective age. If the ball handling and shooting can start to better trend upward, he’s one of the few in this class with the possibility of star potential.
2024 NBA Draft Projection:
Lottery Pick
