NBA Draft Prospects: Top 5 Big Men
2. Zach Collins, Gonzaga Bulldogs
In 2017, the Gonzaga Bulldogs reached the NCAA National Championship Game for the first time, behind their most impressive collection of athletes ever. While he played only a minor role for the team, freshman center Zach Collins may have been the most talented player on the squad, becoming the first one-and-done player in school history.
In his only season with Gonzaga, Collins played sparingly, seeing the floor for just 17.8 minutes per game. That was no knock on his ability, as senior big man Przemek Karnowski was firmly entrenched as the starting center for the Bulldogs. Collins made the most of his limited time on the court, averaging an impressive 23.2 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks per 40 minutes.
For a player of his size, 7'0" with shoes on, Collins moves with a natural fluidity and owns the lateral quickness to become an elite rim protector. He led the West Coast Conference with 69 blocks, finishing third in the NCAA among all freshmen. The big man also led the Bulldogs with a 79.4 defensive rating and would have finished in the top 25 of the nation in both defensive win shares (2.4) and defensive box plus/minus (7.5), if he had qualified.
For all of his defensive prowess, it is Collins' versatile offensive game that intrigues scouts the most. He can stretch the floor (10-for-21 on three-pointers) and bang down low (70.9% at the rim). Even though he made 'only' 74.3% of his free throws, Collins has the form and touch at the line to consistently sink his freebies at an over 80% clip. The Las Vegas native finished the year fourth in all of college basketball with an outstanding 70.3% true shooting percentage.
While his frame could stand to add more muscle, Collins is not afraid of contact, as he drew plenty of fouls, taking 8.8 free-throw attempts per 40 minutes.
For all the highs, Collins does carry significant lows. He got into foul trouble quite often last year, getting sent to the showers early seven times. In the championship game loss to North Carolina, the freshman was limited to just 14 minutes played, as he was a magnet for the whistle. Overall, Collins averaged 6.2 fouls per 40 minutes of play his freshman season.
Having played limited minutes against weaker West Coast Conference competition will increase Collins' learning curve, making him more of a long-term project than an immediate plug-in player on an NBA squad.
Despite the flaws, Collins looks locked into becoming a lottery pick, expected to be taken anywhere from 10th to 15th. Of the teams in that range, the Sacramento Kings seem like a great fit for Collins. While they have Skal Labissiere and Willie Cauley-Stein on the roster, neither of them can stretch the floor and protect the rim like Collins.
