Jrue Holiday has always been regarded as one of the best defenders - not just at the guard spot - in the entire NBA. During his time with the Milwaukee Bucks, his defense helped make this team one of the most formidable all-around units in the business. He has huge shoes to fill, but Ryan Rollins has shown undeniable signs of defensive excellence that have fans dreaming of a Holiday-like breakout.
Ryan Rollins has been making waves defensively
Defense is quiet. It doesn't usually make the headlines. It will here. It's only two games, but Rollins has been excellent defensively. Players have gone just 10-for-27 (37 percent) with Rollins as their primary defender. Perhaps more impressive is that Rollins currently leads the entire league in deflections with 15. The next closest is 12. The guard is quietly breaking out on that end.
Although Holiday is obviously far more established on that side of the court, the similarities are there.
They are both big, physical combo guards who can guard different positions. One advantage Rollins has is his big wingspan, which measures at 6-foot-9.75. Meanwhile, Holiday's is just 6-foot-7. Even though Holiday was masterful at deflecting passes with the Milwaukee Bucks, Rollins could be even better with that lengthy wingspan, which allows him to disrupt passing lanes much more.
None of this is to say Ryan Rollins is at the level of six-time All-Defensive honoree Jrue Holiday. He is certainly not there. However, given his commitment and production on that side of things, he is on the rise. At just 23 years old, he's still young and has plenty of room to grow. That's the scary thing for the rest of the NBA. He's just getting started.
If Rollins continues this trajectory, he could make his way onto an All-Defensive team this season. Some might claim this is an early-season overreaction, but he's been that good, and the numbers serve as proof. Holiday didn't get his first All-Defensive nod until year nine. If Rollins can do it in his fourth season, the sky will be the limit.
With Kevin Porter Jr. out of the lineup for the time being due to injury, Rollins will continue to start and take on prominent defensive assignments every night. He knows how important his defense is for the Milwaukee Bucks and will continue to welcome these challenges with open arms. Now, if Rollins can get his offense going after a sluggish start, he could truly become one of the NBA's standout two-way players.
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