Welcome to Utah, John Collins.
In their first major offseason move, the Jazz are bringing John Collins to the Beehive State and sending Rudy Gay and a second-round pick to Atlanta.
Here are five things to know about Utah’s newest athletic and versatile forward, Collins.
1.) Natural Utahn
Although he may not call it his home state, Collins has been attached to the state of Utah since he was born — literally.
Collins was born on September 23, 1997, in Layton, Utah.
Interestingly enough, his journey has taken him to nearly every corner of the United States and overseas . But life has come full circle, and Collins will return to Utah.
2.) Military Kid
Collins had a unique childhood as his family moved around a lot due to his parents being in the military; his father, John, served in the Navy, while his mother, Lyria, was in the Air Force.
This led to Collins spending parts of his youth throughout the continental states, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and overseas in Turkey. Instead of basketball, Collins grew up a huge soccer fan, constantly playing the sport — which may or may not have contributed to his excellent footwork later on in basketball.
3.) Florida Star
By the time he got to high school, Collins liked basketball and suited up for Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, Florida. A three-time letter-winner, Collins ended his career as one of the best players in school history.
He averaged 20.3 points and 10.2 rebounds during his senior year, winning numerous accolades, including being named the Florida Class 4A Player of the Year. He was ranked a 4-star recruit by ESPN and a 3-star recruit by Rivals and Scout.
4.) Dominating Deacon
After a freshman season in which Collins displayed a high ceiling by playing in all 31 games, he broke out as a sophomore. He was named Second-Team All-American, First-Team All-ACC, and the ACC’s Most Improved Player of the Year after averaging 19.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
After starting all 33 games, he led the nation in Player Efficiency Rating and the ACC in field goal percentage (62.2%).
He then declared for the NBA draft and was chosen No. 19 by the Atlanta Hawks. He was the first Demon Deacon drafted since Al-Farouq-Aminu went No. 10 to the Clippers in 2010.
5.) Impressive Numbers
Since he stepped into the league, Collins has put up impressive numbers as a floor-spacing power forward with high-level athleticism and rebounding prowess.
He’s averaged double-figures in scoring every season of his career, averaging 15.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. He had a breakout season in 2019-20, averaging career-highs of 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.
A better-than-average three-point shooter, Collins has averaged 34% or better from beyond the arc in five of his six seasons. He’s also proven to be an elite dunker, showing the strength to finish in traffic and the athleticism to put people on posters.