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Should Kentucky make a huge push to add Texas decommit Ron Holland to its 2023 recruiting class?
He’s a top 10 player in the recruiting class and was a UK target before he signed with Texas. Holland averaged 20.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game last season. He was a McDonald’s All-American, Gatorade Player of the Year in Texas, and played for Team USA in the Nike Hoop Summit in April.
ESPN recruiting director Paul Biancardi says the 6-8 Holland is the “most versatile defender” among the top 100 recruits in the 2023 class
“He can guard multiple positions and can seamlessly switch when defending in the half-court. He has the personality and mindset to outwork his opponent — the ultimate glue guy despite possessing the ability to score in the paint or from the perimeter. He’s also a consummate winner at every level,” Biancardi said when Holland was named the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year.
But would he fit with the Kentucky roster?
Coach John Calipari already has the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class and it’s not easy to figure out how minutes will be distributed among so many star players, especially if the Cats either add Michigan All-American center Hunter Dickinson in the transfer portal or All-American center Oscar Tshiebwe returns for another season.
Kentucky Sports Radio basketball writer Jack Pilgrim said on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports that he felt UK should go “all-in” to add Holland and let playing tine be figured out later.
If there is no Dickinson/Tshiebwe on the roster, it would seem perfect for 7-footer Aaron Bradshaw to play the five spot and Holland be the stretch power forward to go with DJ Wagner, Rob Dillingham, Justin Edwards, Reed Sheppard and others.
But will Holland wait to make a college choice until he knows for sure what Dickinson/Tshiebwe are doing, especially since Tshiebwe can wait until the end of May to declare if he’ll stay in the NBA draft or not.
My guess is no but Calipari still has to see what might be possible even if Arkansas or the G-League might seem like the top options for Holland today.
6 Responses
Dickinson said he’s exhausted by this process..but not exhausted enough to not wait on biggest n.i.l. deal.
you got that right Grant
Go play for the PIGS and play for the most popular coach in the NCAA and get a Natty
NIL is and the open transfer portal are destroying college basketball. College players are supposed to be students who are amateurs. NIL was supposed to help kids help themselves stay in school even though financial pressures at home said otherwise. Now NIL is making some of these kids millionaires and everyone wants to get in on it. There should be a cap of $50,000 per year and only ONE transfer allowed per player. Lets get real. Kids should be allowed to go straight to the NBA out of high school. If a kid goes to school on a scholarship, they should be required to stay for 3 years. Calipari has been the driving force behind OAD and NIL. It wasn’t enough to destroy Kentucky’s basketball program, he chose to destroy college basketball as a whole.
it has sure changed things Barry
Yes it has Larry. You NEVER heard Coach Hall say things in a closed practice that Calipari says during a game on live TV.