The theme of Aaron Holiday’s rookie season was unpredictability and a desire for more. He maintained a positive attitude, never complained, never spoke out of turn and was self-aware since he arrived in Indianapolis almost one year ago as the 23rd overall selection out of UCLA.

An impact player wherever he has played, Holiday, for the first time in his career, was third on the depth chart and simply on call. As needed, if needed.

He was called upon in 50 games, averaging nearly 13 minutes per game. An instant burst of energy off the bench, Holiday averaged 5.9 points and 1.7 assists per game, and he confidently shot 40.1 percent from the field.

Before leaving the locker room after his first season ended in a four-game playoff sweep to Boston, Holiday shared how playing spot minutes was the most difficult part of his rookie year.

“You don’t know when you’re going to get called or what’s going to happen,” he said. “You just get thrown out there. So probably staying ready. I think I did a good job with that. It was tough at times because you don’t know what’s happening out there.”

The two point guards in front of him are experienced as they are durable. Darren Collison, a 10-year veteran, started and played in all but six games, and Cory Joseph, his backup, was the only Pacer to appear in every single game last season. Collison and Joseph, though, are among the seven players in the final year under contract and will become free agents on July 1. Bringing back one of those two is a reasonable option and the franchise will look to upgrade the position from the outside.

So where does Holiday fit in?

“I feel he should be a rotational player next season and a guy that can play the one and the two,” coach Nate McMillan said after the season.

McMillan appreciates Holiday’s know-how, his confidence and toughness. He played him briefly in Game 4 to change the pace and get the offense moving. After two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo, nobody looks to run more than Holiday and that’s the way the game has evolved. We’re seeing it play out in the NBA Finals. The Pacers ranked 25th in pace (98.69) during the regular season.

“I used to watch him when he was in college. I liked him then,” Oladipo said of Holiday last season. “To see it up close, he has so much potential.”

Holiday is a lightning bug eager to push the offense and he does so under control. He electrified the home crowd in his first significant minutes last November when he connected on 5 of his first 8 3-point shots as he fired without hesitation. But then he settled in and his average dropped to 33.9 percent from distance for the season. That will absolutely rise in time.

As 3-point shooting now plays a major part in the NBA, that Pacers must fill out their roster this summer with more capable scorers which should lead to more open 3-point opportunities each game. They ranked 29th in 3-point attempts last season despite shooting an accurate percentage (37.4).

Much of what the Pacers (and other teams) do offensively begins with the pick-and-roll. It was Oladipo and Myles Turner in the first unit, and Tyreke Evans with Domantas Sabonis in the second unit. Holiday prefers to be the ballhandler with the freedom to create, but he recognizes they often need others, including himself, to be ready to shoot on a kick-out pass. Holiday led the Pac-12 in scoring during his final year at UCLA, the first Bruins player to do so since Hall of Fame Pacer Reggie Miller did so in 1986.

“I love Aaron, he’s just so poised,” Turner said. “I feel like any position that he’s in, he can be himself. You can’t make him speed up, you can’t make him get out of character. I think he’s going to be great for the organization and the city as well. I have high hopes for him.”

Holiday, 22, is mature, in part because he’s the fourth and youngest Holiday sibling. All are supremely talented. The three boys are in the NBA and his sister, a terrific athlete in her own right, had to step away from basketball at UCLA after a series of head injuries.

At this time last season, Aaron was flying from city to city to make his case for teams to draft him. The Pacers called about him at least twice a week last year but were unable to arrange for a pre-draft workout because Holiday expected to be drafted anywhere from 12-17. At 23, he was available and the Pacers were thrilled.

Another opportunity for growth will come at the summer league in July. Holiday not only will start but should lead the team both verbally and with his play.

He plans to split time between in Indianapolis and Los Angeles this summer, his first NBA offseason. Currently back home in L.A. training with older brothers Justin and Jrue, along with All-NBA center Anthony Davis, Holiday has his sights on a more meaningful role with the Pacers during his sophomore campaign.

“Starting role for sure,” he said of his desire.

What will that take?

“I don’t know, we’ll see next year,” he said.

Aaron embraces that he’s the youngest sibling in an extremely athletic family. His parents, Shawn and Toya, both played basketball at Arizona State and all four kids played college basketball. Aaron’s seldom-used Twitter account is “The_4th_Holiday” and he often wears a hoodie with “The 4th” written on the front. That’s family.

On the court, he can handle the ball, be a distributor and a quick-twitch defender. And, at least for now, he’ll likely enter next season as the second point guard.

“I’m very comfortable with him,” McMillan said. “He’s a young kid that has a great deal of confidence in himself and I think he could help us.”