Last Updated on April 15, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Jim Holstein
  • Nickname: N/A
  • Nationality: American
  • Date of Birth: December 3, 1938 (died December 16, 2007, at age 77)
  • Hometown: Findlay, Ohio, USA
  • Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
  • Weight: 175 lbs (79 kg)
  • Wingspan: Not officially recorded
  • Shoe Size: Not publicly available
  • Jersey Number (College and NBA):
    • #20 — Cincinnati Bearcats
    • #14 — Chicago Bulls
  • Position: Point Guard
  • High School: Findlay High School (Findlay, Ohio)
  • College: University of Cincinnati (1959–1962)
  • NBA Draft: 1962, Round 3, Pick 21 — Selected by the Chicago Bulls
  • Player Archetype: Traditional floor general / pass-first point guard
  • Primary Offensive Role: Ball-handler and distributor; initiates offense and manages tempo
  • Defensive Role: Perimeter defender focused on containing opposing guards
  • Play Style: Controlled, team-oriented, low-usage facilitator emphasizing ball movement
  • Handedness / Shooting Hand: Right-handed
  • Athletic Profile: Below-average explosiveness; relied on positioning, anticipation, and decision-making
  • Recruiting Status: Modestly recruited regional prospect out of Ohio
  • Draft Status Detail: Mid-round selection valued for leadership and championship pedigree at Cincinnati
  • Injury Status Category: Durable — maintained availability during a short NBA career with no major reported injuries, though career length was limited more by role and performance than health
  • Career Stage: Retired (former role player)
  • Comparison Style: Similar to early-era game managers in the mold of conservative, pass-first guards
  • Teams Played For:
    • Minneapolis Lakers (1952–1955)
    • Fort Wayne Pistons (1955–1956)
  • Championship Rings:
    • NCAA Champion — Cincinnati (1961, 1962)
  • Parents: Not publicly documented
  • Children: Not publicly documented
  • Siblings: Not publicly documented
  • Retirement Age: 24
  • Retirement Year: 1963

Jim Holstein’s player archetype was that of a traditional pass-first point guard, built around steady orchestration rather than scoring. Defensively, he operated as a disciplined perimeter guard, focusing on positioning and containing opposing ball-handlers rather than generating turnovers. Offensively, his role centered on initiating sets and distributing efficiently, prioritizing team flow over individual production. Physically, Holstein was undersized by modern standards with limited athletic burst, but he compensated with composure and awareness. His play style reflected a conservative, system-first approach typical of early-1960s guards—valuing control, spacing, and mistake-free basketball over pace or creativity.

Sources:
RealGM — Jim Holstein Player Profile
StatsCrew — Jim Holstein Basketball Statistics
Sports Reference (College Basketball) — Jim Holstein College Stats