UCLA Basketball: 2018 NBA Draft Profile – Aaron Holiday
UCLA basketball’s Aaron Holiday could hear his name called in the NBA draft. Here is what you need to know about the former Bruin ahead of Thursday’s event.
The NBA draft is around the corner and once again UCLA basketball is poised to send another point guard to the league. This time, it is Aaron Holiday who will be following in the footsteps of Lonzo Ball, Russell Westbrook, Jrue Holiday, Kyle Anderson, Zach LaVine and Darren Collison.
However, Holiday is every bit his own man. He accomplished something that none of the aforementioned players ever achieved: he led the Pac-12 in scoring while carrying a huge offensive load for UCLA.
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At 6’0″, Holiday is undersized but he is garnering first round interest because of his ability to score, a 6’7” wingspan and his performances in pre-draft workouts. Some mock drafts have him going as high as 12th or 13th overall to the Clippers, 17th overall to the Bucks or 23rd to the Indiana Pacers.
Interest in Aaron Holiday has been building. Will be a handful of teams trying to trade up, down or into the teens for a chance to grab him.
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) June 15, 2018
A handful of teams could use a point guard and Holiday fits the bill. Let’s take a look.
Vital Stats
| Height | Weight | Age | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6’0″ | 187 lbs. | 21 | Chatsworth, CA |
Strengths
Did you know that Aaron Holiday has two other brothers in the NBA? Every draft profile is obligated to mention this fact at least once. This is a strength because Holiday has obviously been influenced by his older brothers.
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He embraced a role off the bench while Ball was on campus because his brothers pointed out that he might need to be a 6th man in the NBA. He also uses and manipulates ball screens at a level not usually seen with college players. He can split the double team with the dribble when teams try to trap him or use his body to seal his defender as he comes off a ball screen. He obviously picked these up from working with his brothers.
During his time with UCLA basketball, Holiday showed the ability to play on the ball as well as off the ball. He can play next to a ball dominant player and still be effective because he is great in catch and shoot situations. He was in the 98th percentile when receiving a pass and rising up with a hand in his face. He led the Pac-12 in scoring when coming off screens and was top five in finishing using the pick and roll. This versatility will open up some opportunities for him at the next level.
Holiday does more than score. He is adept at setting the table for his teammates averaging six assists in his final season at UCLA. He changes speed well and shot 43% from distance. Additionally, he plays with great balance and is not afraid to take big shots. With his wingspan and his approach, Holiday projects to be a good defender. He is the kind of player that will be able to pick up full court and apply ball pressure.
Career Stats (per game)
| Points | Assists | Rebounds | FG% | 3FG% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14.3 | 4.7 | 3.2 | 45 | 42.2 | 79.5 |
2017-18 Game Stats
| Points | Assists | Rebounds | FG% | 3FG% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20.3 | 5.8 | 3.7 | 46.1 | 42.9 | 82.8 |
Weaknesses
One of Aaron Holiday’s weaknesses is his height. At just 6’0” he is undersized. Although he can play off the ball, he is too small to play shooting guard on a consistent basis. He would benefit from playing next to a tall guard in the NBA. In addition, Holiday is not extremely athletic. He is not one of those players who jumps out of the gym.
Another weakness is that Holiday can be turnover prone. This issue plagued him throughout his time with UCLA basketball. In the NCAA tournament game against St. Bonaventure, he lost the ball ten times. He will need to shore that up in the NBA. Holiday is also not great at attacking closeouts. The book on him early in his career will be that he is a good shooter from the outside. Therefore teams will close hard on him to force him to put the ball on the floor and get to the basket. He needs to get better at finishing around the rim.
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Final Analysis
Point guards take longer to develop than any other position in the NBA. However, Aaron Holiday has the pedigree, attitude and shooting stroke to be an effective NBA player for a long time. He is not a superstar or the kind of player that can carry a team but he will have a solid career. He should get some minutes early in his career as a back up point guard, where he can bring instant offense and energy, before graduating into a starter. The hope is that he gets picked up by a team that will give him the opportunity to develop without putting too much pressure on him too soon. He should be a mid to late first round pick.