(Ignite: Forward, G League, 6-8)

Best rank: 1 / Worst rank: 8

Ron Holland narrowly beat his G League Ignite teammate Matas Buzelis for the No. 1 pick in the first HoopsHype aggregate mock draft poll. Since the Ignite’s inception ahead of the 2021 draft, 10 different Ignite players have been drafted, which is the most of any program over that span, with Holland and Buzelis headlining this year’s class.

Holland is a high-level athlete with a good physique for his age. Holland has a high motor, can guard up to four positions, and has a good feel for the game. His biggest strength is his ability to attack off the dribble and finish at the rim with either hand, thanks to his size and strength.

“Holland’s shooting is his biggest weakness right now,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “Once that gets better, not when, he’s going to be unstoppable. He can score in the paint and mid-range. He’s got a face-up game, and he has counters to his offensive game. His motor is really high. He’ll score because of hustle and get offensive rebounds and rim runs. He can move without the ball and get easy buckets from backdoor cuts and lobs. He’ll be a guy that gets a double-double, and he won’t have to take a jumper. As he adds the jumper and isolation moves, that’s how he’ll get up to 18 or 20 points a night. The game will come easy to him because of the energy he brings.”

Holland was compared to Marvin Williams with a better handle by another NBA executive when he was coming out of North Carolina. “Marvin was always very physical and played hard,” the executive said. “He was always in shape and had a long career. He was versatile and could play alongside multiple players.”

If Holland can improve his shooting, his ceiling will grow exponentially. The Ignite hired a shooting coach to work with him intimately to hasten his development.

“When Holland is at his best, he’s competing his butt off,” an NBA scout told HoopsHype. “Right now, he’s a T-and-D guy, transition and defense. In the NBA, if you’re a perimeter player, you’re as good as your jump shot.”