Pistons Rookie Reacts to Coming Up Short of Exclusive NBA Club

Ron Holland nearly played every game during his rookie season with the Detroit Pistons.

Dec 28, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Ronald Holland II (00) dribbles up court in the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Every year, a short list of NBA players gets acknowledged for accomplishing the difficult task of appearing in all 82 games during the regular season. This year, the Detroit Pistons nearly had two players join the exclusive NBA club.

Unfortunately, Pistons rookie Ron Holland came up just short.

Following Sunday’s season finale against the Milwaukee Bucks, Holland reacted to the situation.

via @ron2kholland: Eightyyyyyyy one🙂 let’s do 82 next year 🤣

Eightyyyyyyy one🙂 let’s do 82 next year 🤣

— _ronhoops (@ron2kholland) April 13, 2025

Holland’s lone absence this season came against the Oklahoma City Thunder earlier this month. His absence was the result of a suspension.

During the Pistons’ March 30 matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Holland was involved in a second-quarter altercation. As Timberwolves veteran Naz Reid approached Holland after a foul, the rookie got tangled up with Reid’s teammate, Donte DiVincenzo. Then, a bench-clearing incident ensued.

Holland was among multiple players suspended. Along with the three mentioned above, Marcus Sasser and Isaiah Stewart joined the group with missing games as a result of a punishment handed down by the NBA.

It’s an unfortunate situation for Holland, but nothing to be down about. At the end of the day, the rookie’s first season was a success. In year one, Holland maintained an important role in the Pistons’ rotation. Seeing the court for 15 minutes per game, Holland averaged seven points, three rebounds, and one assist. His defensive toughness stood out, in addition to his offensive development.

Later this week, Holland will make his playoff debut. While rotations cut down in the playoffs, Holland has done enough to stick around with a role in the postseason.