If one thing’s clear from The Athletic’s anonymous player survey, it’s that the players love Jrue Holiday.
The players voted Holiday as the league’s best defender and then mentioned his name more than any other when discussing the sport’s most underrated players. Maybe if Holiday received one of the actual Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) nominations, others around the league wouldn’t feel he’s so overlooked.
He received 28.7% of the 98 votes, well more than the combined total of the three finalists for this year’s award: teammate Brook Lopez (8.9%), Jaren Jackson Jr. (four percent) and Evan Mobley (three percent).
Holiday’s yet to win a DPOY award despite being one of the league’s best all-around defenders since entering the league. Per data from NBA.com, this past season, he held both guard Stephen Curry (36.4%) and center Joel Embiid (30%) under 40% shooting when guarding them.
To NBA awards voters’ credit, Holiday has received four All-Defensive Team nods during his career, most recently after the 2021-22 season, so his game hasn’t gone completely unnoticed.
Per The Athletic, one player described Holiday as “a guy you avoid.” The player went on to explain, “Every offense looks to get the ball away from where he is, both guarding the ball and away from the ball. His hands are unbelievable. It’s always been Jrue Holiday for me.”
The Bucks need Holiday to prove his peers right after a surprising 130-117 Game 1 loss to Miami on Sunday. Giannis Antetokounmpo only played 11 minutes after he sustained a back injury in the first quarter, but the Heat’s unreal offensive performance is still hard to explain.
Miami shot 50-of-84 (59.5%) from the field and 15-of-25 (60%) from three.
Holiday’s value became more prevalent this season with Khris Middleton missing the majority of the season due to injury. Per NBA.com, the trio of Antetokounmpo, Holiday and Middleton only played 23 games together this season but the Bucks (58-24) still finished the regular season with the league’s best record.
Antetokounmpo, a seven-time All-Star and two-time MVP, receives most of the focus (and for good reason), but it’s safe to say he’s not the only one opposing players keep an eye on.
“What [Holiday] does on a night-in, night-out basis on both ends of the court is unmatched, and probably goes by a little bit unnoticed under the spotlight of Giannis.”
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