When the Detroit Pistons drafted Ron Holland II with the 5th overall pick in the 2024 Draft, fans immediately had questions.
The biggest one was why the Pistons were drafting another player known for defense who couldn't shoot, a prototype they’d taken with the 5th pick in the previous draft in Ausar Thompson.
Holland immediately started to answer those questions with tenacious defense and the ability to get to the rack but the questions about the shooting remained.
He is starting to answer some of those as well, as he’s shot 35 percent from long range over his last 15 games and 40 percent in his last five, though he’s not shooting very many of them.
He’s up to 22 percent for the season and there has been steady improvement in both his form and confidence in his shot. Holland has shot over 48 percent from the floor overall and 58.9 percent over his last 15 games, so he has quietly been better than expected as a shooter.
Holland acknowledged this and gave props to shooting coach Fred Vinson in a recent Q&A with the press pool.
Asked Ron Holland II what it’s been like working with Fred Vinson so consistently on his jumper.
— Hunter Patterson (@HuntPatterson_) January 6, 2025
“It’s amazing. I’ve never really had a shooting coach before. … He sees the potential of where I can be as a shooter. Just going day by day with it. I’m really trusting him.” pic.twitter.com/mucz9r01Ch
But Holland isn’t the only player Vinson has helped, as nearly all of the young Pistons have taken strides as shooters this season.
Fred Vinson working his magic with the Detroit Pistons
JB Bickerstaff has rightfully gotten a lot of credit for the way things have turned around in Detroit, and Trajan Langdon has also gotten plenty of attention for his offseason additions.
One of the biggest was Fred Vinson, who had a history of fixing broken shots, as he did with guys like Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones in New Orleans.
He’s had a similar effect on the Pistons, who have seen long-range improvement from Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey as well as steady improvement from Holland and Thompson.
Cunningham is up to 37.7 percent on the most attempts of his career. Jaden Ivey was shooting 40 percent from long range before getting hurt and nearly 43 percent on catch-and-shoot 3’s.
Thompson and Holland are both up to 22 percent from long range, with Thompson’s shot evolving a smoother and more sustainable form in the process.
The latter two have a long way to go, but the potential is there, and when you consider their defense, athleticism and ability to attack, even shooting league average would make them very difficult to defend.
Vinson can’t take all of the credit of course, as these players have put in the work, but he is getting tangible results and the players acknowledge what a big influence he has been.
As good as Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley have been for the Pistons, poaching Fred Vinson from his former team may have been Langdon’s most impactful long-term move last summer.