3 NBA Draft prospects not named Donovan Clingan Grizzlies must target

Ron Holland

While some teams like to play things safe and make draft selections based on necessity, making decisions based on the potential upside of a player and who may be the best overall talent is also a common course of action front offices often look to take.

Should the Grizzlies opt for the latter route, a guy like Ron Holland may be the ideal prospect for them to target.

Bypassing a collegiate career despite being a five-star high school recruit, the 18-year-old decided to take his talents to the NBA's development league and suited up for the G League Ignite in 2023-24.

On top of his impressive averages of 18.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks on 47.4 percent shooting from the floor, throughout the season Holland showcased an impressive combination of ball-handling skills, defensive chops, and off-the-charts athleticism that have some believing he could be the top prospect in this year's class.

While his long-range success rate still leaves much to be desired (converted on just 23.9 percent from distance), his ability to get out on the break, stay with matchups on defense, and, when inside the arc, consistently create for himself for scoring looks alone could prove to be enough incentive for the Grizzlies to take a swing on the upside that a guy like Holland possesses.

A shooting stroke can be worked on and formed (just ask newly minted Finals MVP, Jaylen Brown). The two-way intangibles and eye-pooping athleticism that this youngster possesses are things one is born with.