Jrue Holiday of the New Orleans Pelicans is one of the most well-rounded point guards in the NBA. Drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers and now playing for the New Orleans Pelicans, he can excel as the primary ballhandlers or moving off the ball and can also effectively defend multiple positions.
Holiday comes from a family of collegiate and professional athletes. He continued the tradition with his NCAA career at UCLA and has went on to play at an All-Star level, and he has become one of the most effective and respected veterans in the league.
Jrue Holiday starred at Campbell Hall School in Studio City, California. As a senior, he averaged a double-double with 25.9 points and 11.2 rebounds per game and displayed his defensive potential with 4.8 steals per game.
Holiday led the school to a state title in their division and was ranked the best point guard and second-best overall player in the nation.
At UCLA, Holiday started every game of his one-year NCAA career. He had a strong all-around contribution with 8.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. His career-high was 20 points, scored in only 19 minutes when he went perfect from the field against Florida International.
He made the All-PAC-10 Freshman team and declared for the 2009 NBA draft after one season.
Holiday was drafted 17th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. He contributed significantly to the Sixers from the outset, starting in 51 games as a rookie and scoring a season-high 25 points over the Toronto Raptors.
He started every game that he appeared in for the next four seasons, although he missed some time to injury. In January 2013, he had a career-high 35 points and was named to the All-Star team in a season where he averaged 17.7 points per game.
Holiday was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in the summer of 2013. The following season he had season-ending surgery after only 34 games. Despite some injury problems, his scoring averages climbed the next few years as he played alongside Anthony Davis, and in 2017-2018 he played 81 games, averaged 19.0 points per game, and was selected for the All-Defensive First Team. The next year his scoring improved even further to 21.2 points per game and an All-Defensive Second Team selection.
Trade rumors surrounded Holiday as many thought the Pelicans would look to focus on younger players, but he started every game in the coronavirus-shortened season as the team looked to build a new identity around rookie Zion Williamson.
Holiday has earned $100.2 million through his career and is currently on a $126M deal.
Jrue Holiday signed a five-year, $126 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2017.
Jrue Holiday was born to Shawn and Toya Holiday, both college basketball players. His younger brothers, Justin and Aaron, are in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers. His younger sister Lauren was a college basketball player as well.
Holiday is married to U.S. Women’s National Team soccer player Lauren Holiday. He is a professed Christian who has spoken publicly about his faith life influences his athletic and personal lives.
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