The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Collins rises to the occasion
Hawks rookie has some big slams in Rising Stars game.
LOS ANGELES — If Atlanta Hawks rookie John Collins was looking to send a message early in Friday’s Rising Stars Challenge at the Staples Center he did so with gusto.
Collins said he was a “little” disappointed when he wasnot selected for the Slum Dunk contest but added he understood when he saw the roster.
“Not being in the dunk contest isn’t going to stop me from dunking,” said Collins, the 19th overall draft pick last year out of Wake Forest. “I’m a huge dunker. Hopefully they can give me
a call up another time.”
After Friday, the NBA just may have put Collins on speed dial.
Less than two minutes into the Rising Stars game, Collins soared high above the rim to gather the lob pass from Dallas’ Dennis Smith Jr. and slammed it through the basket all in one motion for Team USA’s fifirst basket.
Collins’ second fifield goal, two minutes later, was a dunk on a pass courtesy of Utah’s Donovan Mitchell. Perhaps his most spectacular dunk came late in the game on another lob from Mitchell.
Maybe Smith and Mitchell were taking notes. Both players alongwith Indiana’s Victor Oladipo and the Lakers’ Larry Nance Jr. comprised the field for Saturday’s dunk contest.
But fifirst, the Rising Stars got the weekend going with teams comprised of firstand second-year players. The World defeated Team USA 155-124. Sacramento’s Bogdan Bogdanovic was named MVP with 26 points and six assists for the World team. Boston’s Jaylen Brown of the USA led all scorers with 35 points and added 10 rebounds. Collins had 11 points, all five of his field goals coming on dunks, three rebounds, two steals and was one of the few players attempting to play defense.
Collins enters the All-Star break 11th among rookies with a 10.2 scoring average, fourth with 7.0 rebounds and leading all rookies in blocks with 1.15 per game. Collins is shooting 58.0 percent (218 of 376), second among rookies.
“Being here is a big accomplishment,” Collins said. “There’s a lot of rookies in the league, a lot of second year guys in the league, for themto pick me, especially for the U.S. team, there’s so many guys it’s such a big accomplishment for me. I just got to keep hoopin’ and continue to play like I play.”
Collins, though, just soaked in the experience.
“It’s definitely a lot to take in, especially being out in L.A.,” he said. “It’s my fifirst All-Star experience. It’s pretty dope seeing all the superstars and all the bigtime names. For me to be in one of the games out here, it puts icing on the cake.”