Ron Holland Is Quietly Becoming the NBA’s Most Efficient Defensive Disruptor
Ron Holland might not be a household name just yet, and you won’t find him logging starter minutes for the Detroit Pistons. But make no mistake-when it comes to defensive impact, he’s already making noise in a major way. In just around 20 minutes per game off the bench, Holland has managed to crack the top of the NBA’s steals leaderboard-and he’s doing it with a level of efficiency that’s turning heads around the league.
Let’s start with the numbers: Holland currently ranks 4th in the NBA in total steals with 37, and he’s second in games with more than one steal. That’s impressive on its own, but when you factor in his limited playing time, it becomes downright eye-opening.
Among the league’s top 10 in total steals, Holland has played fewer minutes than any of them. He’s not just holding his own-he’s outperforming players who are logging significantly more court time.
And it gets better. Holland is 6th in steals per game and boasts a league-leading steal rate of 3.9%.
That means nearly 4% of the time an opponent ends a possession while he’s on the floor, Holland is the one taking the ball away. For a 20-year-old coming off the bench, that’s not just rare-it’s elite.
Steals Leaders Comparison: Efficiency Over Volume
To really appreciate what Holland is doing, it helps to look at some of the names ahead of him in total steals.
- Dyson Daniels leads the league with 50 steals in 744 minutes (3.2% steal rate).
- Cason Wallace has 46 steals in 599 minutes (3.7% steal rate).
- Mikal Bridges follows with 45 steals in 700 minutes (2.9% steal rate).
All three are starters. All three are playing 30+ minutes a night.
Holland? He’s done his damage in just 450 minutes, and still sits among the league leaders.
That’s not just production-that’s impact at scale.
A Defensive Identity That’s Already NBA-Ready
What makes Holland’s defensive presence so effective isn’t just the numbers-it’s the way he plays. He brings a relentless motor to every possession, the kind of energy that disrupts offensive rhythm and forces opponents into mistakes.
Whether he’s guarding point guards or switching onto bigger forwards, Holland embraces the challenge. He’s not just a pest-he’s a problem.
And it’s not just about steals. Even when he doesn’t come away with the ball, Holland makes life miserable for whoever he’s guarding.
He pressures ball-handlers, closes passing lanes, and forces bad decisions. There’s a reason you can feel his presence the moment he checks in-he brings chaos, and the Pistons feed off it.
The Next Step: More Minutes?
Head coach JB Bickerstaff has praised Holland’s ability to impact the game without needing to score, and it’s easy to see why. He’s carved out a role as a defensive spark plug, the kind of player who changes the tone of a game the moment he steps on the floor. And with the numbers he’s putting up, the question becomes: how much longer can Detroit afford to keep him in a limited role?
It’s not hard to imagine what Holland could do with starter minutes. If he’s already leading the league in steal rate in a bench role, what happens when he’s out there for 30 minutes a night? The potential is massive-and so is the case he’s building for All-Defensive Team consideration.
For now, Ron Holland remains one of the NBA’s best-kept secrets on defense. But if he keeps this up, it won’t be a secret for much longer. He’s not just stealing possessions-he’s stealing the spotlight, one swipe at a time.