The PathA native of Utah, John Collins made his mark on the high school basketball scene in Florida where he was named the 4A Player of the Year in 2014-15. The productivity as a high school standout helped him land a spot on Wake Forest’s squad for two seasons before he decided to make the leap to the NBA. While at Wake Forest, Collins racked up First-Team All-ACC honors and was named the ACC’s Most Improved Player.
StrengthsCollins made major strides in his sophomore season as seen in the stats. The big man posted 19.2 points per game (28.8 Per40) and registered 62.2 EFG% this past season. He mainly works inside the paint for his offensive craft but also works well in pick-and-roll situations. There’s potential for Collins to become a real face-up threat in the NBA with some work on his jumper. Collins is also a solid rebounder (14.8 Per40) with a relentless attack on the glass.
Next LevelCollins is a sleeper in the first round and somewhat overlooked considering he played ball at Wake Forest. The power forward matches the prototypical height and size for the position and possesses a strong offensive skill-set. Teams will most look for some improvement on the defensive side of the floor. Currently, there are some varying opinions on his mock draft status. Draft Express has him as a high as No. 13 to the Denver Nuggets while ESPN.com’s Chad Ford projects him at No. 16 to Chicago. Statistically Speaking Collins PER: 36.3 What They’re Saying “He rebounds extremely well and shot 60% anchoring a decent Wake team in a very tough conference.” Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated