5-star PF Ron Holland signs with Texas

Nov 11, 2022 - 7:46 PM

The Texas Longhorns landed one of the biggest commitments since head coach Chris Beard arrived back on the Forty Acres on Saturday morning when Duncanville power forward Ron Holland committed to the Longhorns over the Arkansas Razorbacks and the UCLA Bruins.

The decision from the 6’8, 195-pounder came six days after officially narrowing his list and a week after watching Texas take apart a young Arkansas team in an exhibition at the new Moody Center.

On Friday, the Longhorns announced Holland as an official member of the 2023 recruiting class after he signed a National Letter of Intent.

Holland also took official visits to Kentucky and Memphis in addition to holding 16 total offers, including Kansas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech.

“What makes Coach Beard special is how locked in he is with his players,” Holland told ESPN. “He wants his players to not only be great as basketball players but as men. He is big on caring for others which shows a lot about his character, meaning he is willing to help others no matter what”

“On my visit everything felt right. I watched the team practice and their individual workouts. They were intense and competitive. That is the way I want to be coached. I believe Coach Beard will be with me not only during the good times but during any adversity. The new Moody Center gives you everything you need to succeed.”

Here’s the scouting report on Holland, according to 247Sports’ Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein:

He’s very athletic, not just vertically, but in the way he covers the floor, thrives in the open court, can move laterally, and his speed. While the term versatile defender gets thrown around easily these days, Holland actually embodies it. Given that, along with his size and shooting potential, he has a chance to evolve into the modern-day big wing that is so coveted at the highest level. His overall skill-set needs to continue to develop, particularly as a handler where he can be guilty of trying to do too much, but there is a foundation to build off, even as a passer. He has to find a balance between competing with an edge and letting his emotions get the better of him, but when he’s playing with the motor that he showed during FIBA this summer, he’s extremely impactful.

The first pledge in the 2023 recruiting class for the Horns, Holland is a consensus five-star prospect ranked as the No. 12 player nationally and the No. 4 power forward, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.