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NBA Draft: The Zach Collins breakdown

By Minh Dao

March 18, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Zach Collins (32) reacts against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
March 18, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Zach Collins (32) reacts against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 3, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (4) shoots against Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Zach Collins (32) in the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Steppig/NCAA Photos/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (4) shoots against Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Zach Collins (32) in the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Steppig/NCAA Photos/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports /

In the NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers moved picks 15 and 20 to Sacramento for the 10th overall selection, Zach Collins.

This draft day move was met with plenty of positive reception around the Association, as the Blazers added high-upside big man Zach Collins. The former McDonald’s All-American was a key cog in the Zag’s national championship as a go-to off the bench, even as a freshman. With the passionate Blazer community wondering what their new acquisition offers, RCP is here to put Collins under the microscope.

Resumé

Collins averaged 10 points and 5.9 rebounds with 1.8 blocks in 17.3 minutes per game. This is on an incredibly efficient 67-48-74 splits and an outlandish 68% EFG and 72% TS. It’s fair to say Collins is not wasteful with the rock.

Many Blazer fans will wonder why Collins did not play more minutes. The Zags were led by upperclassmen, and Mark Few is known to coach veteran-laden teams. This was part of their success last season, but it doesn’t mean Collins didn’t play a major part — he certainly did.

He led the team in FG%, 3P% and BPG and was the spark off the bench when times were flat. GM Neil Olshey drafted a high character individual with high upside. The game of drafting has a high variance in the fact that it is the combination of preparation and opportunity. Preparation by the draftee and the opportunity by the team.

Without playing time, his preparation means nothing. Same condition vice versa. A lot more variables go into place than “he has high potential which means he will be All-NBA caliber”.

When you look at Collins on a per-minute production basis, it shows a glimpse of what Collins could be. It adds up to his per-40 (pace adjusted) output which is a staggering 23-13 with 4 blocks per game.

Of course, this is just basic mathematics resulting in inflated figures, but still worth noting nonetheless. Players have to deal with the general negative correlation between efficiency and volume, but Collins has shown flashes that he can be special.