Jrue Holiday

High school career

Holiday attended Campbell Hall School in the Los Angeles district of Studio City and was ranked as one of the best college recruits in the nation in the class of 2008. He was ranked #2 in the nation by Rivals.com and #4 by Scout.com.

He played on the varsity basketball team all four years of high school. As a senior, he was named the 2008 Gatorade Player of the Year. In his senior year he averaged 25.9 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 6.9 apg and 4.8 spg and lead Campbell Hall to a 31–5 record and the California Division IV state title over Cardinal Newman High School. Holiday was selected as a 2008 McDonald's All-American where he scored 14 points and had five rebounds, five steals and three assists for the West Team. He also participated in the 2008 Jordan Brand Classic.

College career

In July 2007 Holiday committed to play basketball at UCLA, where he was recruited and later coached by head coach Ben Howland. He chose UCLA over Washington.

Holiday had 11 points in his first career regular season game in a December 4, 2008 win over Prairie View A&M. Despite being a natural point guard, Holiday started at shooting guard with senior (and New Orleans Hornets 2009 1st round draft pick) Darren Collison starting at point guard.

Philadelphia 76ers (2009–2013)

Holiday was drafted 17th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2009 NBA draft. He became the team's starting point guard in March of the 2009–10 season. When Louis Williams returned from injury, Holiday lost his starting job for a few games. However, since the Sixers lost several games after this change, Holiday regained the starting job and kept it for the rest of the season. On April 3, 2010, Holiday scored a career high 25 points against the Toronto Raptors. He finished the game with 25 points, 7 assists and two steals.

On November 5, 2010, Holiday beat his career-high, scoring 29 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers. On February 2, 2011, Holiday recorded his first career triple-double, with an 11-point, 10 rebound, 11 assist win over the New Jersey Nets.

On March 17, 2012, Holiday scored a then career-high 30 points in a loss against the Chicago Bulls. He achieved another career high on November 25, 2012 against the Phoenix Suns, recording 33 points along with 13 assists.

Holiday recorded his second career triple-double on January 2, 2013, against the Phoenix Suns. On January 24, 2013, Holiday was selected by the coaches to his first All Star game as a reserve guard. On January 26, 2013, he scored a new career high, 35 points, against the first place New York Knicks.

New Orleans Pelicans (2013–present)

On July 12, 2013, Holiday was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Nerlens Noel and the Pelicans' 2014 first-round draft pick. His season ended prematurely in 2013–14 after season-ending surgery in February 2014 for a stress fracture in his right tibia. He had not played since January 8 because of the shin injury. In 34 games, he averaged 14.3 points, 7.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

On January 5, 2015, Holiday scored his 5000th point in a loss to the Washington Wizards. On February 18, Holiday was ruled out for three weeks after aggravating an already injured lower right leg. He returned to action much later than originally expected, coming off the bench against the Phoenix Suns on April 10 after missing 41 games.

On January 10, 2016, Holiday scored a season-high 29 points off the bench in a 114–111 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. He topped that mark on January 25, scoring 32 points off the bench in a one-point loss to the Houston Rockets. He set a new season-high on March 9, scoring 38 points as a starter in a loss to the Charlotte Hornets. On March 29, he was ruled out for the rest of the season after being diagnosed with a right interior orbital wall fracture.

On November 18, 2016, Holiday made his 2016–17 season debut after missing the Pelicans' first 12 games while on a leave of absence to care for his wife. In 23 minutes off the bench, he scored 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting in a 113–101 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. On January 23, 2017, he had 33 points and 10 assists in a 124–122 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

On July 6, 2017, Holiday re-signed with the Pelicans.

Personal life

His older brother, Justin, also plays in the NBA. His younger brother, Aaron, plays college basketball at UCLA. His younger sister, Lauren, also played college basketball at UCLA on their women's team.

In July 2013, Holiday married United States women's national soccer team midfielder Lauren Cheney. The two first met at a UCLA women's basketball game during his only season at the school. While he was approaching his seat, a young girl asked if he was Darren Collison and asked for his autograph. After explaining that he wasn't Collison, and preparing to take his seat, Cheney, who was seated behind him, said, "Don't worry, you're cuter than Darren is." At the time, both were in relationships with others, but became friends, and began dating after he was drafted by the Sixers. They later began hosting annual combo basketball and soccer clinics at UCLA.

In September 2016, Holiday took indefinite leave from the New Orleans Pelicans to take care of his wife, after she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The following month, Lauren had brain surgery only weeks after giving birth to the couple's first child, a daughter, named Jrue Tyler Holiday.