Ron Holland hearing from Kentucky, but prioritized by others -- namely Arkansas and UCLA

Five-star wing Ron Holland has seen his stock explode in recent months, jumping all the way to No. 2 overall in the 2023 On3 Rankings. He’s a do-it-all forward with a college-ready body that allows him to play two through four, a workhorse on both ends of the floor. The 6-foot-8, 200-pound prospect has emerged from a deep group of wings in the junior class.

“What separates me from the rest of the class is that I can get it done on both ends of the floor for a very long time,” Holland told KSR. “I play at a high pace, make plays no one else likes to make. I dive on the floor for loose balls, get any rebound, can hit shots, facilitate.”

A unique combination of size and skill, Holland is the prime definition of positionless basketball. That’s exactly what he’s aiming for as a player, hoping to give coaches the freedom to play him wherever they feel he fits within their respective programs.

“I’m working on consistency with my shot, and really a whole lot of ball-handling,” he said. “Everything else, my offense and defense is going to come. As much as coaches like me, as I get to their programs, I want to be able to give them the option to put me at whatever position they need me to do.”

What position does he feel is his best?

“I feel like I’m most comfortable playing small forward,” he added. “I can facilitate a team, but also get down there and bang with a big.”

With grassroots season well underway, Holland is able to show college coaches why he’s deserving of their attention. Through two live periods on the Nike EYBL circuit, the five-star forward is averaging 11.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest for Drive Nation (TX).

“This environment, it’s fun,” he told KSR. “Coaches get to see who’s really good and who’s not. I’m here to play for me and if college coaches like me, they like me. At the end of the day, I’m trying to be my best me. If they like it, they’ll keep recruiting me.”

There were two schools he noticed in particular watching him courtside during EYBL Session II in Indianapolis last weekend. It’s not a coincidence that they are the two schools rumored to be in the lead at this point in time.

“I noticed Coach Muss at Arkansas. He was there,” said Holland. “UCLA was there, too, but that’s all I noticed. I was too busy worried about the game.”

We’ll start with the Razorbacks. Arkansas has been picking up serious momentum with the five-star wing in recent weeks. Where does Holland think that buzz is coming from?

“I’m gonna say it comes from Twitter,” he told KSR. “Twitter, you know, their fans go crazy. They blow me up every day, I’m tagged — I wake up to like 40 notifications by Arkansas fans. It’s all love, it’s fun to watch, you know? They really want me there.”

Part of it has to do with Eric Musselman’s non-stop effort on the recruiting trail. It also helps when your high school teammate, five-star guard Anthony Black, will be a freshman at Arkansas this season.

“Muss does a great job recruiting,” said Holland. “He has one of my teammates, Anthony Black. He told me they like him and it’s a really good program to go to. Anthony is trying to get me to come there. I know Muss told me that when I get there, they’re going to help me reach my goal. I’m guessing they’re going to let me rock out and push me to be the best me. That’s what I need.”

Holland added that UCLA is among the schools recruiting him the hardest, joining Arkansas, Auburn, Texas and Kansas. “Those five right there,” he said.

He’s planning on taking official visits to at least a few of those schools, with a trip to UCLA already scheduled for May.

“Arkansas for sure. I have a visit to UCLA scheduled or May 12, so I’m excited for that. Auburn I’d like to go to, Kentucky, and I’m planning on going to Texas sometime soon,” Holland told KSR. “I haven’t planned the other official visits yet, but that’s it for now.”

Five potential visits, but only four to schools he singled out as programs recruiting him the hardest, with Kentucky being the outlier. The five-star wing’s interest in UK is clear at this point, regularly talking about the program as a long-time favorite of his growing up.

Kentucky’s interest, though, has only started ramping up recently. And the contact was initiated by Jai Lucas, who is now leaving UK to become an assistant coach at Duke.

Holland has been practically begging for attention from the Wildcats. It wasn’t until after the first EYBL session, though, that UK finally reached out directly.

“I’ve always liked Kentucky growing up,” Holland told KSR. “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. Jai Lucas, he’s a really good coach.”

Despite the late start on Kentucky’s end and the relentless effort elsewhere, Holland still “definitely” wants to take a visit to Lexington — if the Wildcats make it clear they want him, at least.

“I feel like a visit will come probably in the next month,” he said. “If they’re really interested, I feel like they’ll set it up with me.”

What is Holland looking for in a school? A close relationship with the coaching staff, one he can trust to help him reach his dreams.

“What I’m looking for in a school is 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.”

Holland previously said he would likely make a final decision in September. Now, though, he’s taking his recruitment one day at a time, with no set commitment timeline on the table.

“That was said, but at the end of the day, I don’t really know what my future is,” he said. “I’m just taking everything slowly right now.”

Kentucky has time to get in on the Ron Holland sweepstakes, but the clock is ticking.