Last week, Tra Holder became the talk of the town in the basketball world when he broke the record of the most points scored in a Drew League game.
His 63 points exceeded the totals managed by top NBA players during their time in the league, including Isaiah Thomas and LeBron James.
Today, MainStand would like to introduce you to Tra Holder, a recent SEA Games Gold Medalist for Thailand, and breaker of LeBron James’ record.
How big is the Drew League?
For those not familiar with basketball, the Drew League is a Pro-Am tournament, meaning its rosters are made up of a whole host of players, ranging from NBA pros to amateurs and college athletes.
After being inaugurated in 1973, the league garnered lots of attention in 2011, when stars such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant decided to feature while the NBA was on hiatus. Since then, many top NBA players have used the league as a chance to stay fit, and tend to enjoy the greater pace and less rigid tactics involved.
Consequently, when there are stars playing on the court, the league becomes a chance for the amateurs to show their skills to the mass. It has turned into a place for players who didn’t make it in on draft day, rookies who were cast off to the side, or players from foreign leagues who want to test their styles and shake off their rust. Therefore, it’s not wrong to say that the Drew League is one of the most eagerly followed competitions in the world of Basketball… and the stage where Tra Holder has just become a phenomenon.
“Trae Young after dark”
The videos of Tra Holder’s performance that night instantly became viral, as he scored no less than 63 points in a Drew League match. However, not many people know that half-Thai Holder actually represents his mother’s homeland on the international stage.
Born ‘Antonio Prince Holder’ in Los Angeles in 1995, Tra was in one of the ‘basketball capitals of the world’ and had a father who always encouraged him to pursue the sport.
"My dad was the big influence,” Holder explained to FIBA. “He’s been around basketball for a long time, his best friend played in the NBA, so I was kind of always around on the scene. Basketball has been a big part of the culture in LA as well and I kind of fell in love with the sport ever since."
In high school, Holder was on Brentwood’s school team as one of the main players. Even though he was not an NBA prodigy like Zion Williamson, he still uses his lower-than-average height of 1.85 meters to his advantage and always tries to push the limit of his physicality.
"He is a hard worker and it’s always been basketball for him,” Tra’s mother Charee explained. “Whenever he had the opportunity, after he did homework or studied or whatever else he had to do, he just practiced basketball.”
His commitment to the sport earned Tra the chance to play with Arizona State University under the guidance of Herb Sandek. In his sophomore year, he went on to be among one of the main players and ended the season averaging 16.2 points, 37 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per match before going on to the NBA’s draft in 2018 after his graduation.
Holder received a significant confidence boost ahead of the draft when leading sports media outlet Bleacher Report called him “Trae Young after dark,” saying: “Similar to Young, he has the off-the-dribble wizardry and variety of floaters that leave defenses helpless. Holder was pretty much given free rein to do his thing as soon as coach Bobby Hurley set foot on campus three years ago.”
Furthermore, he mentally prepared himself for the demands of the professional game by seeing sports psychologist Graham Betchart, who has worked with players such as Zach LaVine, Aaron Gordonson, and Ben Simmons. As a result, he went into the draft with what one would consider an elite mindset.
"I had to learn how to do the same thing over and over," Holder explained. “Even though I had a good day of working out, I can't slack and say I'm going to take tomorrow off because I did well yesterday. I try to stay consistent."
Holder tried to make 400-500 jumps every workout, and someday he’d even practice multiple times. He improved his 3-point shots, which used to be his weakness, and increased his performance up to 43.5 percent while averaging 36.8 percent with shots from the deep.
But naturally, there will always be a devil from somewhere else that’s greater than ourselves. Unfortunately, against stars such as Luka Dončić and Trae Young, Tra was cut from the draft.
In what can sometimes be a cutthroat and unforgiving sport, players have only a few chances to make it to the NBA. Those who aren’t chosen usually stay as free agents and wait for a team to call. Furthermore, to put it bluntly, Holder arguably wasn’t up to the level of those NBA monsters who are more versatile than him in many aspects from their vision, physicality, and skills.
Lastly, and most significantly, Holder was now a 22-year-old man and couldn’t keep viciously chasing his dream like a teenager anymore. He needed to find money and work on something stable. Faced with no other viable options, Tra decided to leave his home and play professionally abroad.
Another shot at the NBA
After leaving the United States in 2018, Tra Holder went on to play in Italy, Germany, and Poland until the year 2021, when the wind finally carried him back to his home country. However, it wasn’t to play in the NBA, but rather in the ‘G League,’ along with others who were waiting for their second chance just like him.
The G League is a secondary league of the NBA, also known as the Minor League. Many NBA junior teams play in this league, meaning that those who put in outstanding performances may get the chance to make the step up. For instance, Andre Ingram created a buzz in this division before signing with L.A Lakers in 2019.
Tra was brought back to the United States Birmingham Squadron (a branch of New Orleans Pelicans) before moving to his present team, the Westchester Knicks, who are the junior team of the New York Knicks. During his time in the G League, he had the chance to practice with many NBA players, including James Harden, and sparred one on one with Kyrie Irving.
However, his homecoming in 2021 wasn’t just limited to a return to the United States, as Holder was also approached by staff from Thailand’s basketball team to represent them for the SEA Games. Under the name ‘Antonio Prince Soonthornchote,’ he went on to represent Thailand’s national team and win the Gold Medal with the side in Vietnam.
Now aged 26, Holder is still chasing his dream to play in the NBA again. Recently, during 2022’s pre-season, he posted a picture of himself practicing with a player from the New York Knicks with the caption “Story Already Written,” to shout out that he will give everything for his dream; even though he doesn’t know he will be able to reach the same level as those NBA monsters.
Though the pathway back to the NBA may be tough, scoring 63 points in the Drew League will certainly make scouts sit up and take notice. At the age of 26, it’s still not too late for another shot.
For now, it’s down to his consistency, attitude, and discipline to determine whether Holder will become the first Thai player in the NBA one day.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drew_League
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2752674-how-asus-tra-holder-became-one-of-cbbs-best-guards
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tra_Holder
https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/ncaab/asu/2018/03/02/tra-holders-career-starts-apology-ends-asu-basketball-record-book/389856002/
https://www.fiba.basketball/asiacup/2025/pre-qualifiers/news/tra-holder-ready-to-put-thailand-in-the-best-position-to-succeed
https://thesundevils.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tra-holder/3771
