2024 NBA Draft: How Ron Holland's Season-Ending Injury Could Affect His Stock
It’s no secret that G League Ignite has had one of their lesser seasons in program history despite a very talented roster.
They are projected to have four first round picks between Ron Holland, Matas Buzelis, Tyler Smith and Izan Almansa, yet they still struggle to win games. Having a ton of young talent on the same roster in a professional league isn’t going to equate to wins, and that's manifested for Ignite this year. The future of team could be up in the air after NBA commissioner Adam Silver made some very interesting comments on the program.
With the uncertainty the program holds, it could prevent top prospects from committing to them. For example Holland was originally committed to Texas before de-committing and joining the Ignite team. Recently it was announced that Holland would miss the remainder of the season with a thumb injury. The 6-foot-8 forward was quite productive this season as he averaged 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.9 blocks per game in a total of 29 games played this season.
The big question fans are asking is if this season-ending injury will affect his draft stock negatively. It’s unlikely a thumb injury will force him out of the lottery or even the top ten for that matter ,because it’s not going to affect him at all athletically. And his offensive ability won’t be going away.
The main reason he has seen his name slip on mock drafts and draft boards is due to his shooting concerns and the lack of wins he has led his team to in the G League.
It would be ridiculous if Holland was to slip out of the top five in the 2024 NBA Draft due to his elite potential on the defensive end, his high-level slashing ability and overall two-way versatility. Holland is willing to do whatever it takes to win, and it doesn’t matter which NBA team drafts him. One thing that has always stood out for Holland is that his motor is always a step above everyone else’s and that’s not very common for a five-star and potential No. 1 pick prospect to have.
Overall, it's doubtful a minor thumb injury hurts his stock, especially in a draft like this year’s with less talent near the top. Even if he’s a third option offensively, he will still very much make a team better, and is likely willing to take a step back if it means helping his team win.
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