A big leap to pro form for Collins
Ex-Cardinal Newman star looks strong so far during summer league.
LAS VEGAS — For Atlanta Hawks rookie John Collins, humility comes naturally.
He’s a kind young man, and self-aggrandizement is not in his genetic code.
That said, you’ll have to excuse what it’s taken for him to fully appreciate the fact he was the 19th overall pick in last month’s NBA draft, that being him typing his name into a Google search bar.
“When I see myself — ‘John Collins the Atlanta Hawks’ — saying that and hearing that, hearing myself say that, looking in the mirror, and realizing ‘man I made it’ is crazy to think about,” said the Cardinal Newman grad who was named Florida’s Class 4A Player of the Year as a senior
in 2015. “It’s going to take me a long time to come to grips with (it), because it’s been my dream and I’m here.”
Judging from his play after the Hawks’ first four games during the NBA Summer League, it’s probably safe to assume he’s not the only one who’s been Googling his name the past week. After 25 points and nine rebounds in Wednesday’s 105-95 loss to New Orleans, the 6-foot-10 forward ranked third in the league with 10.2 rebounds per game, while averaging 17.5 points on 64.4 percent shooting from the field.
There was speculation Collins’ favorite boyhood team, the Miami Heat, would draft him with the No. 14 pick and bring him back to South Florida. When they didn’t, the Hawks grabbed him five spots later and said they were stunned he was still available.
Hawks summer league coach Charles Lee said Collins has quickly strengthened his mental game thanks to an already established maturity and intelligence on and off the court.
“I’ve been impressed with the conversations I’ve had with him thus far, and just how much of a sponge he really is,” Lee said. “He asks the right questions, he’s listening, he’s open, and then his ability to translate it to the court. It’s pretty impressive at a very quick pace.”
One thing Collins said he didn’t expect was the referees allowing players to be as physical as they’ve been, especially in a league where some rookies have compared the format and behind-thescenes atmosphere to an AAU-basketball event.
“I think it’s an AAU feel in terms of everything besides the on-court (action). I like to think of myself as a pretty physical player to begin with, so that’s one thing I like,” said Collins, who ranked 21st in the country with 9.8 rebounds per game last season as a sophomore at Wake Forest. “It’s obviously different from the NCAA. It’s a different offense, a different defense with strategies, it’s all about getting experience and coming in everyday and ready to work, learning and picking up on those things and part of becoming a pro. On the court, it’ll take care of itself, but it’s really more the mental aspect of being a professional.”
And that’s something that should come natural for someone raised in a disciplined military home.
Collins’ mother, Lyria, served in the Air Force, while his father John was in the Navy. Born in Layton, Utah, Collins was shuttled around quite a bit as a youth, living in Guam, Turkey and the Virgin Islands, before arriving in West Palm Beach.
“I was moving around so much and I had to adapt to different environments and different situations at a young age constantly, so I think that right there helped me socially,” Collins said. “It’s different when you go back to civilian life, so that definitely gave me a lot of structure and a lot of maturity at a young age.
“My mom is supremely positive at all times so I think that helps me keep a good mindset, even when things aren’t going right. Her phrase (is), ‘Everything happens for a reason’ and I like to believe that.”
His parents eventually divorced, but he received a boost of moral support from a mentor who took an interest in him at an early age. Youth basketball coach Roy Harmes became a critical male role model in his life when he added Collins to a team filled with 9-11-yearold players. Collins was 7, and while he was the youngest on the team, he was also the biggest. The two established much more than a player-coach relationship.
“Mr. Roy helped me out from a young age, he instilled some very competitive values that I have to this day,” Collins said. “He was very instrumental to my development as a young player. That’s my guy.”
That development has evolved tremendously, as there have been times this week Collins looks far from a 19-year-old, as he’s put on a dazzling display of electrifying dunks and dominating play along with first-year Hawk DeAndre’ Bembrey.
“Obviously when the real season comes it’s going to be a little bit faster, guys are going to be a lot better, so I like getting my feet wet, getting some experience; it’s been good for me,” Collins said. “On the court, obviously, it’s a different level, it’s a professional game now, so the intensity level ramps up and I’ve seen and feel it. It’s always fun to put on a show, use our athleticism. The people come out here to see some basketball and it’s always good to have some highlights thrown in there.”
And there are plenty of highlights, that’s for sure. For anyone who missed them, they can search Collins on Google to confirm.
Just ask him.
Willie Ramirez is a freelance journalist from Las Vegas and the Southern Nevada correspondent for The Associated Press and USA Today High School Sports. He can be followed on Twitter at @WillieGRamirez.