Ron Holland is One of the Best Prospects the 2024 NBA Draft Has to Offer

The 2024 NBA Draft is devoid of a clear-cut top pick, but Ron Holland is one of the best the class has to offer.
Feb 18, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Team Giraffe Stars forward Ron Holland (0) of the G League
Feb 18, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Team Giraffe Stars forward Ron Holland (0) of the G League / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 NBA Draft is criticized for not having a bonafide star. While previous drafts have seen no doubt top picks like Zion Williamson, Cade Cunningham and Victor Wembanyama, if you survey five NBA teams as to who their top pick is in 2024, you will likely get five different answers.

Though, G League Ignite star Ron Holland is one of the best this class has to offer and could be a pre-draft riser seeing his stock inch closer to the top pick than any other slot.

Holland averaged 18.4 points, 2.7 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.3 steals and nearly a block per game (0.8). The Ignite product displayed harassing defense against his grown men counterparts in the G League.

This season the Duncanville, Tex. product was one of the G League's best pick-and-roll defenders who could also stick on player's hips around screens and shut down isolation attempts. In a league that is typically devoid of defense, Holland stood tall on that end.

The elite-level athlete, with a competitive edge and one of the best motors in the draft projects to at worst be a defensive ace at the next level. The 18-year-old possesses an ability to switch across the board defensively, jump passing lanes and fluster his opponents.

However, the offensive end of the floor needs some cleaning up around the edges. The 6-foot-8 swingman struggles to create for himself, isn't an otherworldly rim-finisher despite his athleticism and does not have a reliable jumper shooting just 26 percent on catch-and-shoot looks.

While Holland will dominate in transition out racing the defense, can navigate the pick-and-roll at a high level and thrive as an off-ball cutting play-finisher, eventually the jump shot has to come around to a respectable level to allow him to reach his ceiling.

As one of the youngest prospects in the draft, Holland is worth the gamble given his high-floor and untapped ceiling. Few in this draft can match that combination.


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Rylan Stiles
RYLAN STILES

Rylan Stiles is a credentialed media member covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hosts the Locked On Thunder Podcast, and is lead beat writer for Inside the Thunder. Rylan is also an award-winning play-by-play broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network.