John Collins (basketball player)

Player Bio

PROFESSIONAL CAREER

BEFORE NBA

PERSONAL LIFE

PERSONAL LIFE

Full name is John Martin Collins III. Nickname is “JC”. Son of Lyria Rissing-Collins, who is retired from the U.S. Air Force. Born September 23, 1997 in Layton, Utah. Member of 2019 USA Basketball Men’s Select Team. Participated in the NBA Africa Game as part of Team World in August, 2018. A 2015 graduate and three-year letterman at Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, FL, where he was named 2014-15 Florida Class 4A Player of the Year, as well as Player of the Year by the Palm Beach Post, the Sun Sentinel and the Gatorade (Palm Beach). Averaged 20.3 ppg and 10.2 rpg during his senior season.

A two-year letterman at Wake Forest with career averages of 13.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 1.2 bpg in 20.7 mpg (.601 FG%, .729 FT%) in 64 games (34 starts). As a sophomore in 2016-17, averaged 19.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg and 1.6 bpg in 26.6 mpg (.622 FG%, .745 FT%) in 33 games (all starts) on his way to garnering All-ACC First Team and ACC Most Improved Player honors, as well as Second Team All-America recognition by the Basketball Times. Also named to the USBWA and NABC All-District Teams. Led the conference in FG% and 20-point/10-rebound games (10), while ranking second in rebounding and third in scoring in helping the Demon Deacons to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010. Had a streak of 12 consecutive 20-point games, the longest by a Demon Deacon in four decades, while also becoming the first player with 600 points and 300 rebounds in a season since Tim Duncan in 1996-97. Became the school’s 15th All-American (first since 2009-10) and the program’s first first-team All-ACC selection since 2004-05. Saw action in all 31 games (one starting assignment) as a freshman in 2015-16. Averaged 7.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 14.4 minutes (.547 FG% - tops on the team, .691 FT%).

BEFORE NBA

A two-year letterman at Wake Forest with career averages of 13.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 1.2 bpg in 20.7 mpg (.601 FG%, .729 FT%) in 64 games (34 starts). As a sophomore in 2016-17, averaged 19.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg and 1.6 bpg in 26.6 mpg (.622 FG%, .745 FT%) in 33 games (all starts) on his way to garnering All-ACC First Team and ACC Most Improved Player honors, as well as Second Team All-America recognition by the Basketball Times. Also named to the USBWA and NABC All-District Teams. Led the conference in FG% and 20-point/10-rebound games (10), while ranking second in rebounding and third in scoring in helping the Demon Deacons to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010.

Through 135 games (85 starts) across two seasons with the Hawks, holds career averages of 14.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg and 1.6 apg in 26.8 mpg. In 2017-18, named to NBA All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 10.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.3 apg and 1.1 bpg in 24.1 mpg (.576 FG%, .340 3FG%, .715 FT%) in 74 contests (26 starts). Ranked seventh in the NBA in FG%, 10th in Eff. FG% (.591), t25th in bpg and 33rd in rpg. Led NBA rookies in offensive rebounds (176), ranked second in FG% and bpg, third in rpg, fifth in double-doubles (11) and 11th in ppg. Scored in double-figures 40 times (including two 20-point outings) and had 17 double-digit rebounding nights. Averaged 11.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg and 2.0 apg (.580 FG%, .333 3FG%, .689 FT%) as a starter. Started for the first time in his career v/LAC (11/22), ending the game with 14 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and three assists in 38 minutes (7-9 FGs). Made his NBA debut @Dal (10/18), finishing with 14 points, five rebounds, two steals and one assist in 22 minutes (6-10 FGs, 2-3 FTs). Started and saw 23 minutes of action in the 2018 Mtn Dew Kickstart Rising Stars game (2/16) during All-Star Weekend tallying 11 points, three rebounds, two steals and one block (5-8 FGs, 1-2 FTs). Missed six games (12/2-12/12) due to a left AC joint sprain and missed two games (3/20-3/22) due to a left ankle sprain.

PROFESSIONAL CAREER

Through 135 games (85 starts) across two seasons with the Hawks, holds career averages of 14.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg and 1.6 apg in 26.8 mpg. In 2017-18, named to NBA All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 10.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.3 apg and 1.1 bpg in 24.1 mpg (.576 FG%, .340 3FG%, .715 FT%) in 74 contests (26 starts). Ranked seventh in the NBA in FG%, 10th in Eff. FG% (.591), t25th in bpg and 33rd in rpg. Led NBA rookies in offensive rebounds (176), ranked second in FG% and bpg, third in rpg, fifth in double-doubles (11) and 11th in ppg. Scored in double-figures 40 times (including two 20-point outings) and had 17 double-digit rebounding nights. Averaged 11.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg and 2.0 apg (.580 FG%, .333 3FG%, .689 FT%) as a starter. Started for the first time in his career v/LAC (11/22),

John Martin Collins III was born in 1997 in Layton, Utah. He is the son of Lyria Rissing-Collins, who is retired from the U.S. Air Force, and John Collins Jr., who served in the Navy. The Collins military family traveled a lot during John's youth, having lived in the Virgin Islands, Guam and Turkey. The big forward's nickname is "JC." Collins played high school ball at Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, Florida. After his senior season, he was named 2014-15 Florida Class 4A Player of the Year, as well as Player of the Year by the Palm Beach Post, the Sun Sentinel and the Gatorade (Palm Beach). Fans can follow JC on both Twitter and Instagram via @jcollins20_. As a freshman, Collins showed some potential while backing up Devin Thomas. He was fourth on the team with 7.4 points and scored in double digits 13 times. The 6-10 forward put the Demon Deacons on his shoulders in his second season and helped coach Danny Manning to get to the NCAA Tournament for the first time with Wake Forest. The first-team All-ACC player and Most Improved Player for 2016-17 in conference led the team with 19.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. He had 16 double-doubles, including 31 points and 15 rebounds in a loss against Duke at Cameron Indoor in February. The team went 9-9 in ACC play and reached the NCAA Tournament as a member of the First Four. Collins scored 26 points on 9 of 13 from the field and hauled down nine rebounds against Kansas State, but it was not enough to get the Demon Deacons into the Field of 64. After two seasons in Winston-Salem, Collins declared for the 2017 NBA Draft and was selected with the 19th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks.

Player Bio

John Martin Collins III was born in 1997 in Layton, Utah. He is the son of Lyria Rissing-Collins, who is retired from the U.S. Air Force, and John Collins Jr., who served in the Navy. The Collins military family traveled a lot during John's youth, having lived in the Virgin Islands, Guam and Turkey. The big forward's nickname is "JC." Collins played high school ball at Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, Florida. After his senior season, he was named 2014-15 Florida Class 4A Player of the Year, as well as Player of the Year by the Palm Beach Post, the Sun Sentinel and the Gatorade (Palm Beach). Fans can follow JC on both Twitter and Instagram via @jcollins20_. As a freshman, Collins showed some potential while backing up Devin Thomas. He was fourth on the team with 7.4 points and scored in double digits 13 times.