Pistons Receive Passing Grade for Ron Holland Selection in NBA Draft
The first four picks of the 2024 NBA Draft involved selections that were expected. The Detroit Pistons offered the NBA its first shock of the night.
Leading up to the draft, many expected the Pistons to take a chance on NBA G League Ignite’s Matas Buzelis. Detroit ended up going for his teammate, Ron Holland.
Although it wasn’t the popular pick for Detroit, was it the right one? According to Yahoo Sports draft analyst Krysten Peek, the Holland selection earns the Pistons a decent "B" grade for round one.
“Although he can be turnover prone at times, his size at 6-foot-8 and his burst off the dribble and in transition still gives him room for growth in the NBA at just 18 years old. His movement off the ball needs some work and he sometimes clogs the lane with his attempts to get to the rim.”
Coming out of Texas, Holland was a five-star recruit. He gained attention from most major schools across the nation. He could’ve played at any major program in the NCAA, but he took the pro route instead.
For the NBA G League Ignite’s final run, Holland was a primary piece to the squad. During the 2023-2024 season, Holland appeared in 14 games. He averaged 21 points on 44 percent shooting. He also produced seven rebounds and three assists per game.
Being that the Pistons are still in a rebuilding phase, Holland could garner a key role in year one. Similar to Detroit’s most recent first-round selections, there will be plenty of minutes on the table, allowing Holland to fast track his development. The fact that he already has experience at the pro level in the G League is obviously a plus.
“[The Ignite] Definitely taught me a lot on and off the court,” Holland said after getting selected. “Really a lot of the things (about) life and (being) mentally healthy and just learning how the NBA operates.”
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