INDIANAPOLIS — The newest edition to the Indiana Pacers is Aaron Holiday, a point-guard from UCLA.
Holiday is the third player the Pacers have drafted out of UCLA in the last two years. A native of Los Angeles, he is the youngest brother of Justin and Jrue Holiday, who are NBA veterans.
“Just watching how Justin and Jrew, their paths were so different and just watching that and what the went through being in the league, I’ve learned from that,” Holiday said of his older brothers. “If anything goes wrong I can count on them to help me out.”
Holiday’s brother Jrue is married to ex-soccer player Lauren Holiday, formerly Lauren Chaney, who played for Ben Davis High School here in Indianapolis and was a member of the US Women’s National Team that won the 2015 FIFA World Cup.
Aaron Holiday opted to forgo his senior season at UCLA to enter the 2018 NBA Draft. Under head coach Steve Alford, an Indiana University-grad, he led the PAC-12 in scoring averaging just north of 20 points per game.
Holiday is the first UCLA player to do that since Reggie Miller did so in the late 80’s before being drafted by the Pacers.
He says his shooting and skilled defense will bring a big boost to the Pacers’ front court.
“I feel like those are the two main things that I can bring right away,” Holiday said. “Also my getting into the paint and play making ability. I think I can help free up other guys on the court a lot.”
The Pacers also drafted power-forward Alize Johnson in the second round out of Missouri State.
(PHOTO Mike Strobe/Getty Images)
