TXT Club E-News Sign Up RSS Feeds Print Share

Sixers Press Releases

76ers select Jrue Holiday in first round of the 2009 NBA Draft

Philadelphia, Pa. – June 25, 2009 – Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski announced today that the team has selected guard Jrue Holiday with the 17th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Holiday (6-3/180) was an early entry candidate for the draft following his freshman season at UCLA.

“We’re excited to add Jrue to our roster and we think he will fit in well with our team’s style of play” said Stefanski. “He has great upside, displays aggressiveness on both ends of the court, has a great nose for the ball as well as the size and strength to play both guard positions.”

The 19-year-old was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman Team last season after averaging 8.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.6 steals in 35 games played. Holiday was paired in the Bruins backcourt along with fellow draft prospect, senior Darren Collison.

Holiday was the 2008 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year as a senior at Campbell Hall High School in California. As a senior, he averaged 25.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 4.8 steals and was rated the No. 1 point guard and the No. 2 overall prospect in the Class of 2008 by Rivals.com.

In the 2008 McDonald’s All-American Game, Holiday tallied 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals for the West Team. He was also invited to play in the 2008 Jordan Brand Classic at Madison Square Garden.

Holiday’s first name is pronounced “Drew.”

Former Gatorade Players of the Year
Player
Year
Position
School
Jrue Holiday
2007-08
G
CA Campbell Hall
Kevin Love
2006-07
F
OR Lake Oswego High School
Greg Oden
2005-06
Center
IN Lawrence North High School
Greg Oden
2004-05
Center/Fwd
IN Lawrence North High School
Dwight Howard II
2003-04
Center/Fwd
GA Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy
LeBron James
2002-03
Guard/Fwd
OH St. Vincent-St. Marys
LeBron James
2001-02
Guard/Fwd
OH St. Vincent-St. Marys
Kelvin Torbert
2000-01
G
MI Northwestern Edison HS
Jared Jeffries
1999-00
F/C
IN Bloomington North
LaVell Blanchard
1998-99
F
MI Pioneer
Al Harrington
1997-98
F
NJ St. Patrick
Baron Davis
1996-97
G
CA Crossroads
Kobe Bryant
1995-96
G/F
PA Lower Merion