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Pistons Big Man Praises Ron Holland’s Preseason Debut vs. Bucks

Detroit Pistons veteran Isaiah Stewart liked what he saw out of Ron Holland on Sunday.
Justin Grasso|
Oct 6, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Ron Holland II (00) dribbles in the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Oct 6, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Ron Holland II (00) dribbles in the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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Detroit Pistons

One game in the preseason is way too early to tell whether a rookie was worth a top draft pick or not. However, after one preseason game on Sunday night, it’s safe to say the Detroit Pistons were pleased with the performance put together by the rookie forward Ron Holland.

A few months ago, the Pistons went on the clock at the 2024 NBA Draft with the fifth overall pick. One year prior, they took the Overtime Elite prospect Ausar Thompson in that same slot. They went with another player who didn’t come through the NCAA once again by selecting Holland out of the G League Ignite program.

In his first preseason action, Holland saw the court for 26 minutes. Although he didn’t get the nod to start, Holland led the team in bench minutes and made every one count.

After the game, the rookie’s veteran teammate Isaiah Stewart praised Holland for his performance on Sunday.

"That boy’s a dog,” Stewart told reporters. “I love Ron, that’s my rook right there. He’s been so humble, always asking for advice. Straight dog with his physicality. Hats off to him."

Holland led the bench in shots taken with ten field goals. He hit on 40 percent of his shots to score eight points. He tacked on two more at the charity stripe to finish with ten total points.

In addition to his scoring, Holland dished out five assists on the offensive end, turning the ball over fewer than three times. Defensively, he totaled six rebounds, snatched one steal, and blocked a shot.

On both sides of the ball, Holland was active and productive. He finished the game as a plus-25 on the court. The rookie helped lead Detroit to its first preseason win with a 120-87 victory over the Bucks.

Holland and the Pistons will get Monday off before returning to the court on Tuesday night to take on the Phoenix Suns. It’s safe to say that Stewart and the rest of the Pistons’ organization look forward to seeing their fifth-overall pick build on his Game 1 performance.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia

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