The Pistons went 3-2 in the annual Las Vegas event
Admittedly, it truly does not matter, and nobody involved will think of it beyond seeing a fleeting message on social media, if they see it at all. But facts are facts, and it is a fact that Ron Holland, a second-year forward for the Detroit Pistons , was named All-Summer League Second Team.
The accolade might not mean much, but it does reinforce what we all saw with our own eyes. And that is that Ron Holland took a step forward. Perhaps a big step forward. Competition gets significantly harder in the preseason and in the regular season, but in the Las Vegas Summer League showcase, Holland ticked off just about any box you could have imagined for him coming out of last season’s promising rookie season.
he averaged a team-high 21.7 points during his three-game experience. He also shot 52% from the field and 46% from deep on a healthy five attempts per game. Not to mention he was aggressive on both ends of the floor. He was regularly getting to the line. He averaged four steals per game. They don’t officially track deflections or times someone dives on the floor after a loose ball, but suffice to say, Holland was everywhere and doing a little bit of everything.
While you might have expected a dog mentality that saw hustle on defense, the growth as a shooter was the most unexpected and pleasant surprise. Holland shot just 23% from three last season. His shot never looked downright awful, it just rarely went in.
In Summer League, his mechanics were quieter, his release looked cleaner, and the results were consistently good. He won’t be shooting 46% from deep in the NBA, but even if he shot 36% in year two, you have to start reimaginging what his ceiling as a player might be.
The MVP of Summer League was Kyle Filipowski of the Utah Jazz . The 6-foot-11 stretch big man averaged 29.3 points per game, including 39.1% from deep.
Joining Filipowski on the first team were Nique Clifford (Sacramento Kings), David Jones-Garcia (San Antonio Spurs ), Jordan Miller (Los Angeles Clippers), and Terrence Shannon Jr. (Minnesota Timberwolves ).
The second team feature Holland alongside Isaac Jones (Kings), Ajay Mitchell (Oklahoma City Thunder), and Kon Knueppel and KJ Simpson (Charlotte Hornets).