Age: 23
Years Pro: 2
Status: Entering the third year of rookie contract.
Key Stats: Appeared in 66 games for the Pacers, starting 33 of them. Averaged 9.5 points and 3.4 assists per game while shooting a career-best 39.4 percent from 3-point range.
Sometimes when a rookie heads into their second year, a rough patch can occur. The advantages of having new, never-before-seen, moves to the paint or deep shooting skills dissipate as more film is collected on them over time.
However, Aaron Holiday didn't have that regression that often creeps in. Instead, the former UCLA guard made positive strides towards becoming a valuable point guard in the league.
In his second year, Holiday set new career highs in nearly every statistic kept on record. Of course, some of that can just be attributed to more playing time overall. But the talented point guard played with something he just didn't have last year — experience.
Early in his NBA journey, Holiday has had a couple of valuable aids. Last year he learned behind NBA veterans Darren Collison and Cory Joseph. This year, he was able to learn from two more experienced guards in Malcolm Brogdon and T.J. McConnell.
It appears this has affected him positively, which is valuable for an up-and-coming player. Despite playing roughly 2.5 times more minutes, Holiday knocked down his turnovers per 36 minutes played from 2.2 to 2.0. Additionally, the young guard increased his assists per 36 minutes from 4.8 to 5.0, signifying he's learning to read the floor correctly and take care of the ball while in possession on the offensive side of the floor.
PHOTO GALLERY: Aaron Holiday's 2019-20 Season in Photos »
Holiday had the privilege of starting 33 games this year for the Blue & Gold due to injuries. After playing in five games off the bench to start the season, he collected eight consecutive starts from Nov 6 to Nov. 28, tallying double figures in all but one of them. His most impressive game of that run was a 24-point, 13-assist double-double performance in a commanding victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 18. He went 10-of-19 from the field and 4-of-7 from deep in the win.
As the season continued, Holiday continued to play smart basketball. Last year, he sometimes appeared to force an issue. He'd throw up an errant shot despite having ample time on the shot clock or force a pass to another Pacer through a clogged lane. This year, he continued to let the game come to him. By choosing his shots more wisely, he managed to increase his overall field goal percentage from 40.1 percent to 41.4 percent and his 3-point percentage jumped significantly from 33.9 percent to 39.4 percent.
Photo Credit: NBAE/Getty Images
From Dec. 11 to Dec. 28, Holiday had a run of nine consecutive games in double figures, including two games in which he eclipsed the 20-point mark. He scored a season-high 25 points on the final game of this run against the New Orleans Pelicans.
But perhaps the most special part of the season for the young product was the fact that he was able to learn the game from his older brother, Justin Holiday. The seven-year veteran was often on the court with him at the same time as part of the Pacers' second unit.
Multiple times during the season the dynamic duo connected on the court. Aaron would supply the initial cut into the paint before kicking out to Justin for a wide-open 3-pointer. If one of them picked up a loose ball, they'd spot the other sprinting to the offensive end on a fast break. Their chemistry led to the coining of the term, "Holiday SZN."
Indiana's front office has done everything in their power to make Holiday comfortable while coming into his own as an NBA player. The signing of established veterans, including his brother, illustrate that management is heavily invested in turning Holiday into a longtime Pacer. Although the road may be long, Holiday definitely looks up to the challenge.