Class is in session! Jrue Holiday of the New Orleans Pelicans makes it look easy with a textbook behind-the-back dime to a cutting Jahlil Okafor for the bucket against the Denver Nuggets on October 31, 2019.

Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday places behind-back dime to cutter for two

Jrue Holiday’s spatial awareness is first class. The Milwaukee Bucks guard gets out in front of the pack in transition, flags down a lead pass and manages to deftly bank in an off-balance reverse layup before the Washington Wizards can adjust on March 13, 2021.

Jrue Holiday beats defense down floor, sinks off-balance layup

In the second All-Star season of his career, there is apparently no shot that Jrue Holiday can’t make. Holiday dialed up the difficulty against the Atlanta Hawks as he dribbled himself into no man’s land on the baseline behind the basket. With two defenders in his way, the 14-year veteran thought quickly on his feet and lofted a shot over the top of the backboard and into the bottom of the bucket. Holiday scored a game-high 27 points while adding four rebounds, five assists and two steals in a 114-105 Milwaukee Bucks win on January 11, 2023. 

Jrue Holiday attacks baseline, pulls up for jumper from behind backboard

Having two 2023 All-Stars on the court is ideal, but one can suffice just as well. Two-time All-Star Jrue Holiday picked up the slack for an absent Giannis Antetokounmpo as the Milwaukee Bucks faced a critical challenge in Game 2 of the First Round, already trailing the eighth-seeded Miami Heat 1-0. Always dangerous with the ball in his hands, Holiday fired a pass into the corner for an open Bobby Portis, who buried one of Milwaukee’s 25 3-pointers, matching a postseason record. Holiday shot 10 of 19 for 24 points and added five rebounds, 11 assists and four treys as the Bucks evened the series with a 138-122 victory on April 19, 2023.

Jrue Holiday wires skip pass into corner for dime in 2023 Playoffs

Jrue Holiday has a championship on his resume for a reason - pity the NBA’s ball-handlers reminded of why on a nightly basis. Dogged in his determination to contain Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan, the Milwaukee Bucks guard fights valiantly through multiple screens, recovers to pry the ball loose from his check, then takes it the length of the court himself for an easy bucket. Holiday dropped 16 points and six assists in the Game 3 matchup on April 22, 2022.

Jrue Holiday delivers on both ends in lopsided 2022 Playoff victory

At the heart of every playmaker’s repertoire is a well-executed spin move. Down a point with seconds remaining in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday ducks past one Brooklyn Nets defender, heads straight to the paint, then deftly maneuvers around another for a clutch layup. The go-ahead bucket on June 10, 2021 gave his squad their first win of the best-of-seven series.

Jrue Holiday spins past man for game-winning layup vs. Nets in 2021 Playoffs

Not many players can mimic the casually smooth yet fundamentally elite style that Milwaukee Bucks point guard Jrue Holiday features in his game. He sets up his man on the baseline with a quick pivot into a lefty spin move, then converts an incredible up-and-under layup with the same hand off the high glass. Holiday had a huge, all-around performance in Milwaukee’s January 3, 2022 meeting against the Detroit Pistons with 29 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Jrue Holiday spins along baseline for reverse layup high off glass

Jrue Holiday is a true two-way player, and he can display it in mere seconds. The Milwaukee Bucks veteran disrupts a Devin Booker crossover on one end of the floor, knocking the ball out of the Phoenix Suns guard's hands and chasing it down in the other end. Alone with the rock and with the Suns defense in pursuit, Holiday steps behind the arc to launch a shot from distance that sinks for three of his 27 points in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on July 17, 2021.

Jrue Holiday picks ball carrier's pocket, drains pull-up jumper in 2021 Finals

With Giannis Antetokounmpo having another one of his absurdly-efficient performances, Jrue Holiday managed to accomplish the unlikely: he outshined his MVP teammate on offense. The veteran Milwaukee Bucks guard, who earned his second All-Star berth in 2022-23, carved up the Indiana Pacers in the best performance of his 14-year career. Holiday was in the zone all night and scored wherever and however he wanted, whether it was a stylish hook shot, a floater in traffic, a post-up that he muscled his way to a layup, a put-back after two of his own misses and an ankle-breaking 3-pointer at the expense of T.J. McConnell. When he wasn’t scoring at a prolific pace, Holiday also facilitated for the Greek Freak and the rest of his teammates all while playing his signature version of lockdown defense. When it was over, Holiday had exploded for a career-high 51 points on 20 of 30 from the field to pair with eight rebounds and eight assists in Milwaukee’s high-octane 149-136 victory on March 29, 2023. 

And we’re going to overtime! Jrue Holiday of the New Orleans Pelicans nails the stepback jumper to tie the game against the Chicago Bulls on December 2, 2013. Who doesn’t love free basketball?

Jrue Holiday sinks game-tying stepback in three-OT battle with Bulls

Marketplace

Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday