Hoyas in on Five Star This Time
Fresh off a National Player of the Year award and a promising performance in the McDonald`s All American Game, 6-foot-8 five star Class of 2023 forward Ron Holland recently made the decision to de-commit from University of Texas. Holland, who starred at Duncanville (TX), is a thunderous rim attacker with a polished inside-outside game and a defensive prowess with his fly-swatting, rim protecting presence.
Georgetown joined a list that includes Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Kansas State, St. John`s and others to reach out to the prized recruit on Sunday.
Holland was originally committed to the Longhorns under then-head coach Chris Beard. Beard, of course, was arrested on a domestic violence charge which ultimately cost him his job. The charges have since been dropped and Beard has re-surfaced as the head coach at Ole Miss.
Despite the sudden coaching change at the time, Texas thrived under Rodney Terry in advancing to the Elite Eight this past season. Holland has not ruled out a possible return to Texas, as the staff looks to re-recruit him during a wild off-season underscored by a coaching carousel and a thorough eruption of the transfer portal.
"I want to take this time to thank head coach RT and the entire Texas coaching staff for their consideration, I would also like to thank the Longhorn Nation for all their love and support," Holland said in a Tweet on Friday. "While this has been a difficult process, I have decided to de commit from University of Texas and re-open my recruitment. Texas will still be one of my top schools of choice.
While a return to Texas seems unlikely at this point, there will likely be plenty more highly prominent programs vying for the first rate services of Holland. The true unique draws to Holland`s game are his two-way motor, length, and versatility. His game aligns with today's environment with his ability to stretch the floor out with a dependable deep jumper and put the ball on the deck like a guard and create for himself and others. During the aforementioned McDonald`s All American game, he managed 11 points, six boards, three blocks, and two steals.
Holland differentiates himself with an insatiable thirst for victory and a loud impact on the game defensively, utilizing his lengthy instincts to block and influence shots. His tenacity, timing, and a wild chase down block were noteworthy during his performance in the All American game.
Holland averaged 20.3 points, 10.1 boards, and 2.4 points for national power Duncanville, with his shooting percentage hovering around 52 percent this past season.
Georgetown has wasted no time prioritizing top level recruits since the arrival of Cooley. He was able to get Southern California Academy forward Drew Fielder, an 2023 inside-outside threat with an imposing presence on the glass and all around skill set at 6-foot-10, to flip his commitment from Providence to Georgetown recently. The same situation occurred with 2024 Worcester Academy (MA) guard Kayvaun Mulready, a 6-foot-4 and 210-pound guard known for his well rounded offensive game and knack for impacting the passing lanes as a pesky defender.
Part of the arduous challenge Cooley accepted in leaving a comfortable situation at Providence and revitalizing a once prosperous national brand at Georgetown, which has fallen on tumultuous times as a Big East bottom dweller these past two seasons, was altering the Hoyas presence on the recruiting landscape. The DMV area has long been rich recruiting real estate, producing a handful of top-shelf national recruits on a proven and consistent basis. While Cooley will tap into the local resources in the DC area, his initiative in rebuilding a recently floundering Georgetown program is to recruit the best everywhere.
As a recruit who is rated no.5 in the country by ESPN, Holland would be a sizzling get. A commitment from a player of his high profile stature would instantly inject buzz into a new era on the Hilltop.
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