Despite Injury Struggles, Is Partnership with Victor Wembanyama Eventual for Isaiah Collier?

Isaiah Collier has played his part. Even though the Trojans have suffered this season, the University of Southern California guard has stunned all with his performances in the college basketball circuit. Occupying the second spot in the points tally for the Trojans, Collier bedazzled the stage from his very first game.

He dropped a spectacular 18 points against the Kansas State and supported the alpha of the team Boogie Ellis with the team’s highest 6 assists. And this was just the beginning of an exciting career ahead.

How has Collier performed?

The 19-year-old followed that up with spectacular performances against the UC Irvine Anteaters and the Brown Bears. He basketed 23 and 24 points respectively in both the games. This only proved that he is not only the second fiddle but can also amp up his game when needed. The freshman also continued the display against the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the Seton Hall, thrashing 14 and 13 points respectively. 

Even though the Trojans weren’t particularly fairing well, Collier had set his high grounds in the contests. And he was the perfect player to match the abilities of Ellis. His season high had come against the Stanford Cardinal when he smoked 26 points. Collier was also the highest scorer for his team in that game. 

But Collier’s game much like any other athlete has had its own weaknesses. The Collier’s duo with Ellis hasn’t got the Trojans what they would have expected to have this season. There have been times when despite their brilliant performances they have been let down by the rest of the team. And especially, with Collier, the performances haven’t been consistent and he has a low ceiling. His worst performance came against the Oregon State Beavers when he could only score 7 points during the 26 minutes he played.

Overall, he has decent shooting skills. He throttled 50.6% field goal percentage and 31.3% three-pointer percentage. Even in free throw percentage, Collier fares remarkably well with 66.3% free throw percentage. Collier has smashed an average of 15.4 points per game with 4.1 assists per match. His assists average stands atop the list among the USC athletes. His mock draft still presents a different story.

How will Collier play the NBA if he declares for the draft this season?

Collier is currently projected to be the top pick in the ESPN mock draft if he chooses to declare for the draft. The San Antonio Spurs lack a point guard at this point in time and Collier can fill the boots very easily like he has been doing for the Trojans. The NBA franchise has been experimenting by making Jeremy Sochan as ad-hoc point guard.

Sochan is a good connector during strategies but isn’t the one who can initiate an offensive tactic. But that doesn’t mean that this is a failed experiment. Sochan can go back to his previous position having learnt the art of viewing the court from a different perspective. But in the long run, the Spurs would need someone to fill the shoes.

This is where Collier comes in. Collier can be a force to reckon with when paired with the Spurs’ star Victor Wembanyama. The newly starting college baller has immaculate court vision and playmaking skills. Thus can help his team create chances offensively. Though it is speculated that Collier will take his time before adjusting to the position, it will reap favorable results once he gets accustomed to his role.

Read More: With Kansas Stumbling Out, Can Purdue Maintain Number 1 NCAA Status?

With Wemby on his side, Collier will get the opportunity to better his skills and reach his complete potential. He can make the Spurs’ sinking ship sail smoothly and that will be the best role for Collier to play. He has tried to uplift the Trojans and likely will also take the Spurs toward a better future. Still it remains to be seen if he will declare.

Should Collier declare for the draft?

Collier fits the bill of being the number-one pick just in his first year. This is one of the most noteworthy things about the Georgia-born. But where he doesn’t fit the bill is his recent injury. He suffered a hand wound during the game against the Washington State and could only play for 23 minutes. In the second half, he left the court only to not return in the subsequent games. The injury has kept him out since then, and he will likely make a return at the end of February.

Considering the USC’s form, Collier hasn’t adjusted himself according to his team. And if Collier will be out of the season for a long time then it will also diminish his chances of applying his skills at the college basketball circuit to his complete potential, at least in this season.

Now whether he chooses to stay with the Trojans or declare for the NBA 2024 draft is personally his own choice. But going by the stats, he needs to dominate the college basketball game, something he is likely to miss if he declares for the draft. Getting into the NBA team will again require Collier to accustom himself to the situation and the Spurs as everyone knows are not one of the best teams in the NBA right now. Much like how the Trojans are also not the greatest of teams in the NCAA circuit.

Taking cognizance of the same things, it is highly likely that Collier will decide to stay in the college basketball circuit for one more season. This will help him develop the stepping stone needed to go into the NBA. The times when players used to play the NBA fresh out of high school are gone, and Collier too should concentrate on improving his college basketball game. Else he might need a lot more time to get used to the conditions at the highest level.

Whatever Collier chooses is completely up to him and hopefully, we will get the chance to witness the best of him even if he declares for the NBA 2024.

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