At 5-foot-11 3/4 inches, UCLA junior guard Aaron Holiday was the second-shortest prospect at the NBA draft combine. Only Carsen Edwards, at 5-foot-10 3/4, was shorter — and he has since decided to return to Purdue.
None of which mattered much to Holiday on Wednesday, the eve of the NBA draft.
Holiday, brother of Jrue (Pelicans guard) and Justin (a former Knick now with the Bulls), is not interested in talking about his height — just the heights he hopes to reach with any NBA team that drafts him.
“I don’t really care for it, to be honest,” Holiday said in New York during a media availability for drafts prospects.
“It is what it is. I’ve been talking about my height since I was younger playing basketball. I’ve been told I wasn’t gonna make it because of my height, but here I am. It doesn’t bother me much.”
After three seasons of steady improvement, Holiday has earned his invite to New York and will almost surely be selected Thursday night.
The former Bruin averaged 20.3 points on 46.1 percent shooting last season, leading his team to an NCAA Tournament play-in game that it dropped to St. Bonaventure.
Holiday’s most impressive attribute may actually be his endurance. He played 37.4 minutes per game during his junior year — 13th-most in the nation.
Potential NBA suitors should focus on that stat, Holiday said.
“The NBA game is longer, and I feel like I’m always in good shape, but that really showed what I could do when I get tired, so I think that helped a lot,” he said of the heavy minutes.
A projected late first- or second-round pick, Holiday is not only an ironman, but versatile.
Before running UCLA’s offense this past season, he played off the ball during his sophomore year, showcasing his solid 3-point shooting and efficient scoring ability.
“My sophomore year I played without the ball, so that was obviously great to show,” he said. “And my junior year I was able to really show what I’m able to do when I’m on the ball and lead a team. So I just feel like I can come in right away and lead a team, and just bring the winning attitude to the organization.”
Holiday said he tries to emulate pros such as Chris Paul, Kemba Walker and Damian Lillard, and though he’s no All-Star yet, he still defends his position to forgo his last year of college eligibility.
“I went back last year knowing I could put myself in this position, and that was my main goal,” he said. “So knowing that, I did what I had to do and I’m here now.”