An NBA draft freefall could leave Heat with decision similar to Caron Butler, Justise Winslow
MIAMI – Part of NBA draft preparation is being prepared for the unexpected, which the Miami Heat have plenty of experience with over the years. This time, they are prepared.
Even with the No. 15 choice in the first round on June 26, the Heat worked out a player who was once regarded as the No. 1 pick. It has been a whirlwind for Ron Holland, a 6-foot-6 athlete who is already regarded as having the defensive chops to contribute quickly to Erik Spoelstra’s club after honing his game against pros with the NBA G League’s Ignite this past season. Typically, clubs choosing at No. 15 do not have such an opportunity for hands-on evaluation of a player projected to go significantly earlier. But this year’s draft is so balanced that No. 5 on one team’s board may end up at No. 15, or even higher.
In the past, the Heat just trusted the draft currents to deliver a talent without much pre-draft evaluation. In 2002, UConn’s Caron Butler fell to them at No. 10, and in 2015, Duke’s Justise Winslow did the same. In a story for The Athletic last month, veteran NBA executive John Hollinger predicted Holland as the No. 1 choice. Instead, Holland has been making the rounds with teams lower on the selection board.
“It’s a roller coaster of emotions,” Holland remarked during last month’s NBA draft combine in Chicago. Holland, at the age of 18, is a one-of-a-kind case study, as he is both the youngest leading prospect in the draft and has prior professional experience. “I feel like I was able to show a lot with Ignite,” he added, “simply because I was position-less in high school, and I feel like I’m the same with the Ignite; nothing really changed. But I was able to focus on what I wanted to achieve in the NBA.”
“I believe I can step on an NBA court, any club, right now and help them win and thrive in the playoffs or in a regular-season game. I believe I will be able to do anything the coach asks of me. So, who is Ronald Holland? A tenacious defender who has set his NBA objective of Defensive Player of the Year, as well as a slashing attacker with the athleticism that the Heat now lack. While not the shooter the Heat may desire to spread the floor, with a team already filled with two-point threats, Holland’s defense might perhaps help compensate if the Heat lose Caleb Martin and Haywood Highsmith.
“I’m really built for the aggression that I’m about to walk into,” the Texas native stated. “So I’ll definitely be prepared for that.” With the Ignite, Holland was obliged to play a ball-dominant role in a number of places. That proved to be difficult. As a result, the Heat’s draft position could decline. “I’ll definitely be prepared for when things are going bad and I’m losing the ball, turning the ball over, I just need to learn how to deal with it,” he stated. “And I feel like with Ignite, I definitely learnt how to handle it.
“I would have to say that my defense is my proudest skill right now. I believe my defense is NBA-ready. But I know that whenever I go to the league, I’ll have to learn a lot more.” Perhaps learning to deal with No. 1 expectations and then something less on draft night, as Butler and Winslow did when they joined the Heat. “I definitely learned a lot about myself this year,” Holland explained. “My mentality would not alter. I still believe I’m the top draft pick in this class. I’m definitely prepared to compete against anyone.”
