Is it decision time for 2023 five-star forward Ron Holland?
It appears one of Kentucky’s final targets in the class of 2023 is approaching a decision.
Ron Holland, a five-star forward out of Duncanville, TX, cut his list down to five potential options back in June, with Arkansas, Kentucky, Texas, UCLA and the NBA G-League Ignite remaining in contention. Now, though, the clock is ticking for the 6-foot-8 prospect regarding a commitment.
Late Thursday evening, Holland tweeted a simple hourglass emoji, indicating time is running out.
His mother, Tarasha Holland, also posted a cryptic tweet indicating the end of her son’s recruitment is near. “Tick tock,” the gif reads.
It’s one of many tweets the five-star forward’s mother has posted in recent days indicating the Holland family is knee-deep in the decision-making process — with a commitment coming soon.
Where do things stand in his recruitment?
John Calipari and the Kentucky coaching staff visited Holland in Texas to open the live period last week, as did the other schools remaining on his list. He took an official visit to Lexington back in June, receiving a scholarship offer from the Wildcats at the conclusion of the trip.
Holland also took official visits to UCLA in May, Arkansas in June and Texas in August.
Despite Kentucky’s continued contact and interest, 247Sports recruiting analyst Travis Branham told KSR on the Sources Say Podcast this week that the Wildcats may actually be running in fourth place behind the other college options.
“That’s one that I personally don’t like Kentucky’s chances,” Branham told KSR. “Honestly, trying to handicap who the leader is right now, it’s not easy to do. Texas has a lot of buzz right now — they’re in very deep, obviously. It’s the home state team. Arkansas has received a lot of buzz over the past few months. UCLA is also a bit of a darkhorse here. I think they’ve done a great job recruiting him and there’s some serious, serious mutual interest there.
“If I’m handicapping it — and this could come back to bite me — I’d personally put Kentucky behind all three of those schools right now.”
Holland previously told KSR that Kentucky was a school he rooted for growing up and was a program he could see himself playing for at the next level.
“I’ve always liked Kentucky growing up,” Holland told KSR at EYBL Session II in Indianapolis. “It was one of the schools I really looked out for. Their level of communication, they text me before games, tell me what I’m getting better at and ask me what I’m working on, which I like because he wants to know how I am as a person.
“… Me and Coach Chin (Coleman), we’re building a great relationship, he wanted to get me out there. I feel like he sees a lot in me. He wants me over there. He feels like he can help me reach my goals. What more can you want in a program?”
Holland is ranked No. 9 overall and No. 1 among power forwards in the 2023 On3 Consensus. What is he looking for in a school when it comes time for a decision?
“Somewhere I can go play right away — well, not necessarily right away, but just somewhere I can fit in with the program,” he told KSR. “I’m looking to build those relationships with coaches so I can trust them to help me get to where I’m trying to go, get to my destination. I want to be a one-and-done and get to the league.
“Building a relationship with the coaches, that helps a lot because I can trust them, they can trust me. I can help them win, they can help me reach my goals.”
Will Kentucky be the school of choice? It doesn’t appear likely.
We’ll find out either way soon.
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard