Ron Holland: Another Possible Home Run Swing for the Spurs
Ron Holland could be picked in the lottery by the Spurs (Photo via Twitter)
A native of Duncanville, Texas, Ron Holland is a high-ceiling prospect who a year ago appeared to be a lock for a top five spot in the 2024 NBA Draft. Unfortunately for him, his draft stock suffered as he did time with the G League Ignite after he decommitted from the University of Texas.
The Ignite had a dismal record of 2-32 this past season and the entire developmental team was disbanded when their campaign ended. It was terrible basketball to watch and it’s difficult to imagine that any of the NBA prospects on the team improved during the season.
Holland ended up leading the Ignite in scoring and he had games where he looked like a top-flight prospect. However, his uneven play has stirred up enough questions that he’s now expected to be picked in the second half of the lottery — or possibly even a little bit later.
The Case for the Spurs Drafting Ron Holland
Effort is the name of the game for Holland. He plays with a limitless amount of fiery energy on both ends of the court. He never seems uncomfortable or unsure of himself — he just goes hard.
Size-wise, the 18-year-old has ideal proportions for a wing. He’s nearly 6-foot-8 in shoes with a 6-foot-11 wingspan. Athleticism, particularly his explosiveness, is also a checkmark in his favor.
Holland’s defense is ahead of his offense right now. On D, he plays passing lanes well, he contests shots on the perimeter and at the rim, and he has the quickness and moxy to withstand just about any matchup he’s commissioned to undertake. Holland’s defensive fundamentals need work but he will make plays and be disruptive during his fledgling days in the league.
Offensively, the teenager is best out in transition. His mix of fearlessness and athleticism makes him a terror on the break.
In the halfcourt setting, Holland relies on power to be successful. His moves and footwork are still a work in progress but there are glimpses of a high-end scorer. He got to the line a lot without resorting to foul-baiting. His shooting stroke isn’t pristine but it’s also not a complete teardown — and he already shoots with confidence.
The Ignite tasked him to be a playmaker and even though that wasn’t his role even in high school, he did good enough to retain hope that he can playmake in the NBA one day in the distant future.
While things weren’t always pretty for Holland on the Ignite, it’s important to understand the context. The team was poorly put together and the coaching left a lot to be desired. Despite the obvious issues, Holland still posted stats that were as good or better than any first-year Ignite player in its history.
The Case Against the Spurs Drafting Ron Holland
Even though Holland shot a reasonable 72.8% at the free throw line, his three-point shooting was a very worrisome 24%. His three-point shooting needs to come around for him to be an impactful NBA player — so that 24% number is rather scary, especially because he didn’t shoot well in high school either.
Decision-making is another area of needed improvement, to put it gently. He turns the ball over in bunches with mistakes so egregious that his feel for the game is highly questionable at this point in his development.
Skill-wise, there’s not much to hang a hat on. Compared to NBA perimeter players, he’s well below average as a ball-handler and passer. His moves are predictable. His processing of the game lacks depth. All in all, he’s basically just an athlete who gets by on determination and will. Soon, that won’t be enough.
There are whispers that his character is a question mark but I haven’t heard that directly from any scout who has been around him, so I won’t count that as a negative.
Ron Holland’s Fit on the Spurs
Holland is raw but I don’t think more time in the G League would do him any good. Giving him minutes early and often is likely the best way to help him learn the game and evolve as a player. He’s probably not a starter as a rookie but he should be in the rotation early on.
Final Thoughts on the Spurs Drafting Ron Holland
Holland would be an exciting swing-for-the-fences type of pick. It’s risky to draft someone who needs to improve his shooting and decision-making a handful of notches but the absolute height of his ceiling is as towering as the ceiling of anyone in his draft class.
Even if no character issues are found, drafting him at No. 4 is likely too much of a gamble. It wouldn’t be completely indefensible because there’s a world where Holland ends up as the best player in this draft — but it’d require an Alamodome full of chutzpah.
At No. 8, Holland would be an entirely reasonable selection. He’s clearly in the same tier as anyone in this draft outside of maybe three or four players. But, then again, even at No. 8 the risk remains that Holland ultimately ends up being a non-shooting, hustle undersized power forward — and that’s an archetype that’s quickly going extinct in the NBA.