Jrue Holiday is one of the best guard defenders in recent NBA history.
As you could imagine, practices over his two seasons with the Celtics were a welcome challenge.
From All-Star forwards Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to sharpshooters Derrick White and Sam Hauser, there were plenty of worthy offensive players for Holiday to guard.
But, surprisingly, he said none of those guys were the toughest to defend. Instead, it was Payton Pritchard giving him the most trouble.
“It might be Payton,” Holiday said on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back” this week. “There’s this drill we had where you have to go up against Payton, full court. Yeah, and he would just be going crazy. Speed, handle, low to the ground so he could body you, stops on a dime and he can shoot it.”
Pritchard was tough for all opponents last season, posting career-highs in points (14.3), rebounds (3.8), assists (3.5) and shooting percentage (47.2%). The fifth-year guard was named Sixth Man of the Year, and he’s now in line to potentially start for Boston next season.
Despite the injury to Jayson Tatum and the departures of Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet and likely Al Horford, Pritchard is entering 2025-26 with similar expectations to the last few years.
He told Chris Forsberg on the Celtics Talk Podcast earlier this month that “everybody in that locker room will have the goal of competing for a championship.”
Holiday is now with the Portland Trail Blazers after a trade that sent Anfernee Simons to Boston. Pritchard will presumably be competing with the former Blazer for a starting guard role alongside White.
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