Pacers Select Aaron Holiday with No. 23 Pick in 2018 NBA Draft

Aaron Holiday is the latest Holiday to enter the NBA.

Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire

The Pacers selected point guard Aaron Holiday with the No. 23 pick of the 2018 NBA draft.

Aaron joins his two brothers Justin and Jrue in the league. 

Holiday played three years for UCLA, and his production increased with each season. This past year Holiday averaged 20.3 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game for the Bruins, as they snuck into the NCAA tournament only to be knocked off by St. Bonaventure in the first four. 

SI.com's Jeremy Woo broke down Holiday's strengths and weaknesses, and gave the Pacers a grade for their pick. 

The Pacers were holding out hope that Holiday would fall here, and they get their man. While he doesn’t have great upside, Indiana needs a point guard that fits in long-term, and his no-nonsense approach should vibe with the others on the roster. The Pacers should continue to be competitive, and Holiday can help early in his career. It’s a safe choice at a good value point in the draft, as many thought he could be drafted in the teens. Grade: B+

Strengths

• Capable ballhandler and playmaker who works best using a high ball screen and playing in transition. Advances the ball with the pass. Good feel for the game.

• Career 42% shooter from three. Shoots comfortably off the dribble and catch. Took over games at times last season with his jumper.

• Will scrap defensively. Punches above his weight through effort. Career 1.4 steals per-36.

• Family works in his favor from intangibles standpoint. Has spent time around the NBA and has a blueprint for what it takes to succeed.

Weaknesses

• Not an elite athlete. Good but not great first step can limit him as an isolation player. Doesn’t project clearly as someone who will get into the paint and finish.

• Can be turnover-prone. Sometimes falls into stretches of frustration where mistakes can compound.

• Gives up size when matched up on a bigger guard. One-position defender. Has to split the difference with his toughness, which could still pose a real problem at the NBA level and could limit him to a backup role.