Isaiah Collier, a youngster for the Utah Jazz, was playing the best game of his rookie season. The Brooklyn Nets didn’t have an answer for his dynamic scoring. In what looked like his final action of the game, the former USC guard blew past the Nets following a defensive play and attacked the rim. Sadly, with his intent only being to help the Jazz win a rare game, it’s seemingly backfired.

Collier successfully dunked the ball but lost control of himself when on the rim. His hands slipped and the 20-year-old fell to the hardwood. Because of the momentum, Collier landed on his head, immediately causing the worst concerns. Nets’ Keon Johnson was called for a normal foul, but the Utah rookie had to be taken off.

After getting medical attention from the team, the 20-year-old went to the locker room for further examination. By the looks of it, a concussion couldn’t be ruled out given the way Isaiah Collier landed. With the league’s strict concussion protocol introduced, the Jazz guard may spend an extended period on the sidelines if the head injury is deemed to be dangerous…

Collier was having his best game in a Jazz uniform. So far, the former McDonald’s All-American has had to weather a challenging season. He hadn’t scored higher than 12 points. But tonight, he just seemed on it. However, such an injury is the last obstacle a rookie would hope for when just finding his footing.

Update: After the initial checks, Isaiah Collier was available to return! And since then, the young gun has quickly checked back into the game for the Utah Jazz, as they faced an overtime thriller against their guests.

Isaiah Collier wins the game for the Utah Jazz against the Brooklyn Nets

Without Lauri Markannen and Walker Kessler, Isaiah Collier’s game served to be his perfect breakout moment. Before his scary fall, the Jazz took a seven-point lead against the Brooklyn Nets. However, his brief exit took away not just the primary scoring threat, but also the Jazz’s designated playmaker for the day. It allowed a relatively shorthanded Nets team to force overtime with a blistering performance in the fourth quarter. Hence, even though the 20-year-old may have been shaky, he checked back into the game.

In overtime, the game remained in the balance. Both teams went back and forth until Collier’s sequence decided the result. At first, he fouled Brooklyn’s Tosan Evbuomwan, another young forward who had a stellar outing for his franchise in the act of shooting! The leading scorer for the Nets successfully sank his free throws, giving Brooklyn a one-point advantage.

Collin Sexton has had some clutch moments this season. Moreover, with Isaiah Collier injured, calling him back could’ve been risky, right? For a Utah team with not much to lose, the biggest decision of the night was to hand the ball to a player who fell headfirst not too long ago. And just like he did all game, the point guard took matters into his own hands. A silky layup within three seconds sent the home crowd wild. The Jazz then hung on to their nerves to give Collier the chance and honor to finish his night on the highest note.

The rookie obliged.