After landing the fifth pick of the NBA Draft for the third straight year, the Detroit Pistons decided to aim high by drafting forward Ron Holland II. The G League Ignite prospect became the first draft pick by Trajan Langdon as the Pistons' new President of Basketball Operations, and he's already speaking on bringing a winning culture back to Detroit.
“I'm looking forward to really changing things around. I know they have a stigma on them when it comes to a lot of the losing. I feel like I'm a huge part to start changing that around,” Holland expressed at his introductory presser. “I have a willingness to win. I'm definitely super excited to get down there and get to work.”
Langdon often discussed his hopes of a top-five draft pick having a franchise-changing ceiling. As one of the youngest prospects in the draft, there is plenty of upside for Detroit with Holland's game at 18 years old. Holland was a five-star recruit from Duncanville Texas. He was the focal point player of the G League Ignite as the leading scorer with 19.5 points per game.
Holland displayed plenty of confidence when reflecting on his game with the media after being drafted. The Pistons' first-round forward said he wants his game to reflect the likes of Mikal Bridges, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday and Jaden McDaniels.
“I like to watch film and be compared to Mikal Bridges when he first hit the NBA. Just guarded the best player every single night and hit shots when it was his time,” Holland stated. “And then Jaylen Brown, what he adds to his game ever since he's been in the league to what he's become now. Defensively, I like to watch a lot of Jrue Holiday and Jaden McDaniels. With how they're the core of their team and being able to get stops and go on runs and be able to help their team win.”
Trajan Langdon's analysis of Ron Holland
Detroit's new front office leader was enthused about the opportunity to bring Holland to the Pistons. Langdon raved about Holland's character and competitiveness as an athlete. There were also encouraging remarks about Holland's perception from his G League Ignite teammates and coaching staff.
“We did a really deep dive the past several days on Ron. Just understanding the compete level and the human being,” Langdon said. “We talked to several of his teammates to understand the care factor and the work ethic. We talked to John Jenkins, a teammate of his, who he got up with everyday to shoot with at 7 a.m.. He kind of mentored him (Holland), but also he was someone who was trying to mentor other players as well. He has the leadership piece to him, he has the high compete level piece to him, and he has the winner to him.”
One of the most surprising notes from the Pistons' selection was Holland revealing he had no contact and no workout with Detroit prior to the draft. Langdon discussed that obstacle during the draft process and how they adjusted.
“There were a lot of agents who didn't want to send their players here, so we didn't see actually that many players,” Langdon said. “At the end of the day, staying quiet was a strategy for us.”
One of the biggest concerns on the Pistons' roster and in Holland's game is their shooting prowess. Detroit finished 26th in the NBA in three-point percentage and 29th in three-point makes in 2023-24. Langdon continued his display of confidence when discussing his belief in that improvement for Holland under newly acquired assistant coach Fred Vinson.
“I'm not that afraid of the shot. He's going to have to work on it, but I'm really not that afraid of it,” Langdon declared. “I think we have someone in-house that's really good at developing shooters. He's young and he's going to work.”
Follow Us
Subscribe