Commitment breakdown: Texas lands five-star Ron Holland

The recruitment of Ron Holland reached its conclusion on Friday, when the coveted five-star wing announced his commitment to Texas. Holland chose the Longhorns over one-time favorite Arkansas in addition to UCLA and Kentucky and became Texas’ first commit of the 2023 cycle. Below, Rivals examines what the news means for Chris Beard’s program.

WHAT TEXAS IS GETTING

One of the most exciting and dynamic players in the 2023 class, Holland is a certified weapon in transition and comes with the necessary length, athleticism, agility and ball-handling ability to be a pro. Holland plays with the kind of motor and has the kind of size that will allow him to be a top-flight defender down the road. He’s also become a better rebounder over the past year. Holland’s biggest battle will be with becoming a reliable scoring option in the half-court, where his jumper from distance remains a bit inconsistent, even if it is slightly improved. He has the speed and the basketball IQ to take defenders off the bounce and create for himself at the rack, which he does with some regularity. He’ll become even more lethal if he takes a significant step forward as a shooter. If and when that happens, Holland will make plenty of money playing the sport.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE LONGHORNS

This could be the start of a nice little run for the Longhorns. Texas is still very much in play for five-star AJ Johnson and four-star Andrej Stojakovic, and the Horns are a serious threat to land one or even both of the Rivals150 prospects. Should that happen, Chris Beards’ 2023 class would be among the best hauls in the nation. Beard has had no problem assembling talent in Austin since taking the reins of the program prior to last season and his momentum only seems to be building during the NIL Era, which favors major national brands with engaged boosters. That said, the work Texas did to overcome Arkansas’ early lead in the Holland Sweepstakes shouldn’t be dismissed as a simple NIL advantage, as Beard and his staff closed incredibly well during the five-star’s two fall visits.

IN HIS WORDS

“They tell me that I’m a Texas kid, so it has to work. You know, it’s a fit from that standpoint. I’m the No. 1 player in Texas and they are the No. 1 program in Texas. They believe in me, and I believe in them. They talk to me about how it has to work because of their branding and all that. You know Texas branding is big. How they play basketball is a fit, too. Coach Beard produces pros and he coaches exactly how I play.” – Holland to Rivals.com last month