Stephen Holt Solid in NBA Summer League

When it comes to former Saint Mary’s players in the NBA, there’s really only one name that has recently come to mind. Matthew Dellavedova became a hot commodity on a national scale when his heroics on the court helped the Cleveland Cavaliers put up a strong fight against the Golden State Warriors in the 2015 NBA Finals.

He, along with San Antonio Spurs point guard Patty Mills, comprise a bulk of former Gaels to have made a splash in the Association. But what about the guy who was standing alongside Delly in the backcourt in Moraga?

Stephen Holt often became a backdrop when he was on the court at Saint Mary’s, as that darned spotlight always seemed to shine on the Australian kid with the really long last name. That lack-of-stardom was only temporary, though, as the 2013-14 season provided Holt with an opportunity to glimmer after Dellavedova had departed to the pros. 

Holt took advantage and finished his career at Saint Mary’s just one steal away from tying the school record, standing at 173 to take second place. He ranks in the top 10 in career scoring at SMC and had a remarkable number of standout performances throughout his career as a Gael.

His accomplishments did not go unrecognized, as Holt was rewarded with a spot with the Canton Charge of the NBA D-League in 2014, in which he averaged 10.9 PPG in 49 appearances. Because of these impressive statistics, Stephen was added to the Atlanta Hawks’ summer league roster for 2015.

And he put on a bountiful display of what he’s capable of.

Holt averaged 23 minutes per game, which goes to show that the coaching staff for Atlanta had some faith in the former Gael. And it’s easy to see why, as he helped the Hawks reach a 4-2 record after averaging 7.8 PPG.

Along with that, he had a remarkable outing in their matchup against the Denver Nuggets. Stephen knocked down 17 points and shot a resilient 50% from the floor, going a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc. This performance also included three steals.

What’s most notable, though, is that these numbers came against the likes of Emmanuel Mudiay, a highly-regarded point guard who got drafted after playing professionally in China for a year. Mudiay is considered to be a colossal pickup and possible savior for the Denver Nuggets, and seeing Holt break out against a competitor of that caliber shouldn’t go unnoticed.

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Though Holt’s future remains up in the air, it’s safe to say that he is headed down a good path for his basketball career. Whether he made enough of an impression to join the pros, is going back to the Development League, or chooses to play overseas, Stephen has done a tremendous job with the chances he’s been given and will no doubt continue to take advantage of each opportunity. 

So while it’s easy to focus all of our attention on Matthew Dellavedova and Patty Mills, let’s not forget about guys like Stephen Holt, who are all working their tails off to continue their prosperous careers as professional basketball players. We will continue to provide coverage on where Stephen’s summer league outings take him in the next step of his career.