Rondae Hollis-Jefferson

Hollis-Jefferson in the 2013 McDonald's All-American Boys Game

Hollis-Jefferson was born and raised in Chester, Pennsylvania, the son of Rylanda Hollis, a single mother who worked two jobs as a dietary supervisor and bartender. He grew up with older brother Rahlir, who also became a professional basketball player. Their father was frequently absent and spent some time in jail.[1] Hollis-Jefferson began honing his game when he was 12.[2] At a young age he took a strong interest in defense and acknowledged that he scored only because he was taller than his peers.[1]

He attended Chester High School where he began an outstanding basketball career under head coach Larry Yarbray. The small forward became the first player to ever be named Delaware County Player of the Year for multiple seasons.[3] He was also instrumental in Chester's first-ever undefeated season. The Clippers finished 91–5 in his last three years at the school and won two state titles.[4] In his senior year, he lost in the state title game to Lower Merion.[2] He finished his career with more than 1,000 points and a school-record 780 rebounds.[4]

Hollis-Jefferson participated in the 2013 McDonald's All-American Game against future Arizona teammate, Aaron Gordon.[5] Following the event, he took part in the Jordan Brand Classic with some of the most highly recruited high school stars in the nation such as Julius Randle.[6] At the conclusion of Hollis-Jefferson's years with the Clippers, he was tabbed the sixth-best small forward of his class by 247Sports.com and the fifth best by Rivals.com. He eventually chose to attend the University of Arizona and represent the school through their successful basketball program over other possibilities such as Florida and Syracuse.[7]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson SF	Chester, PA	Chester High School	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	212 lb (96 kg)	Sep 13, 2012
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:

Hollis-Jefferson playing for Arizona in March 2014

In his freshman season with Arizona, Hollis-Jefferson became known as fierce scorer, rebounder, and shot-blocker despite his relatively small size. The start of his season was marked with 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists against Cal Poly off the bench. He posted his first double-double in a game against Oregon.[8] He improved on his free throw shooting as his freshman year progressed. Throughout the season, Hollis-Jefferson mainly functioned as the team's sixth man, but became a starter after Brandon Ashley was lost for the season with a foot injury in the Wildcats' 60–58 upset loss to California on February 1.[2] Hollis-Jefferson ended up starting 6 of 38 games played due to the roster that was dominated by the likes of Aaron Gordon, but still got his name on the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team.[8] In his freshman year, Hollis-Jefferson averaged 9.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.[4] "It's a lot different than just waking up, going to school and playing basketball for Chester," said Hollis-Jefferson of his freshman year. "In the beginning of the season, I was lost. But it's not about who's starting, it's about who finishes. It stuck with me for about a month or so, playing behind people. I went along with it and kept playing. I need to make people respect my shot. I know I can shoot it. I have to stay in attack mode."[2]

As a sophomore, Hollis-Jefferson increased his averages to 11.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He improved in his leadership and offense.[4] As a sophomore, he was voted first-team All-Pac-12, and was named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team.[9] He helped lead the Wildcats to two consecutive Elite Eight appearances in the NCAA tournament, losing to Wisconsin on both occasions. On April 7, 2015, Hollis-Jefferson declared for the 2015 NBA draft, forgoing his final two years of college eligibility. "I don't know if I've enjoyed coaching a player more than I've enjoyed coaching Rondae," coach Sean Miller said.[10]

On July 24, 2023, the Jordan Basketball Federation announced that Hollis-Jefferson had been contracted to play for the national side as a naturalized player.[38] On August 16, 2023, he was included in Jordan's 17-man squad for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.[39] On August 28, 2023, Hollis-Jefferson drew comparisons to the late Kobe Bryant for his play with the Jordan national team during the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.[40]

The Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas of the Philippines also offered Hollis-Jefferson to play for their national team but he eventually chose Jordan.[41]

Hollis-Jefferson plays both forward positions. Using his athleticism and 7-foot-2-inch (2.18 m) wingspan, he is part of the NBA trend of undersized power forwards.[42]

Hollis-Jefferson is a practicing Muslim[43] and pescetarian.[44]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

• Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
• Arizona Wildcats bio