12-07-2025
Pistons' Ron Holland shows growth with 28-point performance in Vegas
The rhythm Ron Holland II found and maintained Friday was brewing well before tipoff. Roughly 24 hours before the Detroit Pistons' 104-86 summer league win over the New York Knicks, Holland was the final Pistons player in a small, muggy gym not far from the Las Vegas Strip.
Holland stayed after practice with Detroit shooting coach Fred Vinson, missing both of the team's buses heading back to their hotel for the day. Holland worked with Vinson for at least an hour, working solely on 3-pointers — both off the dribble and in catch-and-shoot scenarios.
The work Holland and Vinson put in Thursday, and countless hours prior, led to Holland's game-high 28 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 4-of-5 from 3-point range, 11 rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block.
Back-to-back triples from @ron2kholland
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) July 11, 2025
Holland looked like the version of himself that has become a key component in Pistons president of basketball operations, Trajan Langdon, prioritizing internal growth this summer. He was confident from long range, looked as if he gained muscle and showed signs of the game seemingly slowing down for him. Holland is four days into being 20 years old and was the best player on the floor.
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The Duncanville, Texas, native, whose father sat courtside in his son's new No. 5 jersey, was the lone 20-point scorer in the game. Nearly half of Holland's 28 points came by way of his 3-point shooting, an area of improvement for Holland entering the offseason.
'We saw it, Ron is a dog,' Detroit guard Daniss Jenkins said as he laughed. 'He just gets it done. Whatever the defense gives him, he's going to take it. He's not afraid of any shot; he's not afraid of any competition. He's tough to deal with.'
Jenkins was the Pistons' second-leading scorer in the win and largely controlled the pace of the game for the bulk of his minutes. He chipped in 18 points on 7-of-11 from the field and 3-of-5 from behind the arc, three assists, three rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
To Jenkins' point, however, Holland took the Knicks' defense for all it would give him Friday.
Holland's four triples came in a variety of ways and were more than he had in any single game during his rookie season. Rather than defenses almost having to persuade Holland to launch from long range, he was actively seeking them out. His most impressive long-range shot came after a series of moves to free himself from the defense of Pacôme Dadiet. It was his second 3 in consecutive possessions.
And of course, in Ron Holland II fashion, he looked to Detroit teammates who were sitting courtside, showing support. Holland's first visit to the baseline to dap up Jalen Duren and Cade Cunningham came after Holland skied in for a putback dunk over Ariel Hukporti and Kevin McCullar Jr.
Watching this on repeat 🔁@ron2kholland × @NBASummerLeague
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) July 11, 2025
Another poignant point of the game for Holland was his ability to draw fouls and get to the free-throw line. He made and attempted more free throws than any player in the game, going 8-of-13 from the charity stripe. Although Holland will need to raise his percentage from the line, it was encouraging to see him possibly taking a step toward implementing more free throws into his game.
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'It was amazing,' Tolu Smith said of Holland's performance as he smiled. 'That's Ron. We didn't expect anything less, honestly.'
Smith, like Jenkins, had a strong showing himself. Smith finished with 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting, 11 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal.
But the expectation set for Holland is clear. If the Pistons plan to take steps forward next season to move past the first round, Holland will need to consistently show he is the version of himself he was Friday. Detroit is only one game into its summer league schedule, and Holland's time in Vegas is likely limited, but the Pistons couldn't have asked for more during Holland's first game after his rookie season.
