Preseason games, schedule, 2024 NBA draft class, first overall pick, Ron Holland, G League Ignite

Ron Holland loves to win. But it’s not so much the sweet taste of victory that he seeks, but rather the dreaded feeling of losing.

“It really comes from growing up with competitive people,” Holland said. foxsports.com.au.

“My uncle is competitive, my whole family was competitive. I never really liked losing. I hate losing more than I like winning.

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Luckily for Holland, winning is something he’s done a lot to become the projected top pick in next year’s NBA draft.

This upcoming draft is not like the last one, where it quickly became clear that there was no other prospect like French phenom and No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama.

But Holland, a 6-foot-8 forward and consensus five-star high school prospect, has already made quite a statement in his debut for G League Ignite.

Holland initially committed to playing college basketball for the Texas Longhorns before decommitting in April, later deciding the Ignite program would be better for his overall development – ​​on and off the court.

“What struck me was how much they focus on player development,” Holland said.

“It’s something I was really looking into when I chose the program. I know I had to adapt and make this change to have a mature mindset in high school.

“It’s different from a professional mindset. I just know that I need to change the way I eat, the way I sleep, the way I actually monitor my body, everything that people think doesn’t matter, matters and I know the G League can help me with that. all aspects.

Holland certainly helped boost his draft stocks with a stellar performance for Ignite in the recent G League Fall Invitational against the Perth Wildcats, averaging 28.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 4 .0 steals in his first two games.

Speaking on ESPN’s “NBA Today” following Holland’s performance in Las Vegas, Jonathan Givony described the 18-year-old as the most NBA-ready of all the draft prospects.

“If you’re looking for a guy to play an NBA game tonight, it’s got to be Ron Holland,” the ESPN draft expert said.

“Just the aggression he brings, the intensity, the physicality on defense, the aggression in the open court as well and the shooting ability. He really impressed in those two games showing a diversity of shooting abilities , successfully dribbling, making 3s – the confidence he shows is really, really impressive.

“I think Ron Holland will get the nod for Ignite this year. He has the chance to average 18-20 points per game this year, protect the opposing team’s best player and make others better at the same time.

“He’s a guy who raises the intensity level every time he steps on the court and that’s how you win games and that’s what’s going to attract NBA teams.

“Ron Holland is a winner.”

It’s a word that comes up often when we talk about Holland: winner.

It’s also no surprise considering the role he played in taking the Duncanville Panthers to two state titles, although one of them was taken away after the use of a ineligible player.

As a sophomore in 2020-21, Holland helped Duncanville finish 28-1 before an even better 2022-23 season saw the Panthers finish with a 29-21 record.

Holland averaged 20.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.0 steals on his way to being named the 2022-23 Gatorade Texas Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

“Ron Holland probably had one of the most decorated high school careers of any kid to play basketball in the state of Texas,” Texas interim coach Rodney Terry told reporters earlier This year.

“You’re talking about a guy who won a state championship every year he played, you’re talking about a guy who played for USA Basketball and won two medals. He did everything you can do at the high school level and more. You’re not going to have a more decorated guy from a high school standpoint going into college.

“At the end of the day, Ron Holland is a winner. He’s a winner, he comes from a winning program, and he’s done it his whole life.

This word still exists, although for the Netherlands, winning in life is much more important than winning on the basketball court.

For an 18-year-old, he already has maturity beyond his years, speaking about how he looked up to Kevin Durant growing up – not just for his skills on the court, but for the way he used his platform outside.

“Growing up, I had a lot of interest in Kevin Durant and Kevin Garnett,” Holland said.

“I see how passionate Kevin Garnett was on and off the field. [and] mentality. I just really wanted this, really wanted this in life and Kevin Durant, I just saw how he used his platform and how much he expressed himself and I saw how he showed how much he really was for everyone. world.

“I mean anyone can really talk to him about anything and he’s just not an uptight basketball player, he’s willing to express himself.

“Growing up, I really wanted to change my family’s life. I feel like it’s such an obvious answer, but I just looked at it right now, it’s just generational.

“I’m not just doing this for my family, I’m really doing this for the future and not only do I want to change my family’s life and change my life, but I want my children’s children to be taken care of and I want to get the most out of it.

Holland very easily could have made something else of himself, having grown up as a track athlete while wearing a helmet and pads to play football.

But then again, there was something about basketball and the way its players used their fame and success for good that made Holland think about things other than sports.

“I had a lot of fun playing all sports, but I knew for a fact that basketball was something I wanted to do,” Holland said.

“Because I had seen all the players that inspired me, what they had done with their careers and I had seen the best of them that I could do in the future.”

Holland isn’t too far ahead of himself, though, and that certainly won’t happen with nine-year NBA veteran Jason Hart as head coach at Ignite.

Hart, who took on the role in 2021, has already offered plenty of advice to Holland – although it’s not necessarily what one might expect.

“It sounds crazy, but it really has nothing to do with basketball,” Holland said.

“He’s taught me so many things off the court and everything I’ll ever need as far as my body and my mindset and my mental health and everything that some people really don’t think basketball -ball must manage. .

“But in reality, it really is and just knowing that the coaching staff can really help you and they give you the tools and the plan to achieve your dreams, it goes a long way.”

It’s not just Coach Hart, with the presence of veterans on Ignite’s roster, that makes it such a valuable program for young prospects like Holland looking to develop their game.

While Holland said all of Ignite’s veteran players have already helped him along his journey, there are three in particular that he has leaned on: John Jenkins, Eric Mika and Jeremy Pargo.

“They just talked to me about what this game can do for me and what I need to change about myself that can really affect me in the future,” the 18-year-old said.

“Everything they see in training and on or off the field, they are just trying to help me achieve my dream because they can be anywhere to win any type of money right now, but they chose to come play with Ignite to come and help us.”

Holland already has a lot going for him as a potential top pick in next year’s draft, with defensive versatility and intensity that make him a valuable addition for any NBA team.

Already a proven winner with competitive drive and great motor on the defensive end, the biggest question mark regarding Holland’s game is his outside shooting.

Although Holland went 4-for-9 from downtown in two games against Perth while using his size, length and athleticism to dominate on both ends of the court.

Dominating on the box score isn’t always a common occurrence for Holland on an Ignite team that’s loaded with talent and scoring options.

That’s not a problem for the 18-year-old, who understands how he can make a good impression on NBA scouts without having to rack up points.

“I’ve been around good players my whole life, no matter what sport I played, so it wasn’t really new to me,” Holland said.

“My thing is I just want to come here, focus on my player development and I want to win while I do it. I want my team to look good while I’m doing it and I want me to look good while I’m doing it.

“I’m not really here to be selfish or anything, but at the same time, it’s like, while we’re all working on this, I’m going to find a way to get mines.

“It’s not necessarily me shooting the ball or just scoring the ball. I can impact the game in many ways without even touching the ball and that’s what I’m really here for. I’m just learning to play the game the right way every possession.

“It’s really important because it gives you more value. This means that the coach can put you anywhere on the field and you will be able to make a huge impact and your players will appreciate the time spent there and your presence.

“Like I said, value is the same thing as versatility. When it comes to being able to do multiple things, it’s like the coach can’t limit you. So wherever he places you, he can trust you and he knows you will get the job done.

For Holland, success in the NBA is only worth it if it’s done the right way — and that means one thing in particular.

“I want everyone to enjoy playing with me,” Holland said when asked about his legacy in the sport.

“No matter what, I know it will happen in all kinds of ways and I will be a leader that I am every day and I will not change even when things are bad.

“Any adversity comes…no matter what’s happening right now, I won’t change it. »

And of course, for a player as competitive as Holland, that’s not all.

“I want people to remember,” the 18-year-old added, “that not only was he a winner, but he also had the mindset of a winner.”