Hawks’ Collins suspended 25 games for doping

Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins was suspended for 25 games without pay on Tuesday for a violation of the National Basketball Association’s antidrug program after testing positive for a growth hormone.

The NBA announced that Collins, 22, tested positive for Peptide-2. The six-foot-nine Collins is Atlanta’s leading rebounder with 8.8 per game and second-leading scorer, averaging 17 points a contest.

Collins apologized in a statement, saying he was “incredibly frustrated and disappointed in myself for putting all of us in this position,” but that he planned to appeal the suspension.

“I have always been incredibly careful about what I put in my body, but I took a supplement which, unbeknownst to me, had been contaminated with an illegal component,” he said. “I plan to fight my suspension in arbitration so I can get back on the court as soon as possible and continue to contribute to our 2019-20 campaign.”

Collins is the third player to be handed 25-game suspensions for drug violations this season. The NBA announced Oct. 24 that Phoenix Suns centre Deandre Ayton was suspended after testing positive for a diuretic.

On Aug. 29, the league suspended Brooklyn Nets forward Wilson Chandler for testing positive for Ipamorelin, a drug that increases the release of growth hormone.

The suspensions of Ayton and Chandler also are without pay.

Collins’ suspension began with Tuesday night’s game against San Antonio.