Zach Collins scared Blazers fans with an underwhelming 2017 Summer League and preseason debut, but developed mightily through the second half of his rookie season. Here are five goals for him to continue that improvement.
Unlike his draft counterpart, Zach Collins did not start his Blazers career well. At the 2017 Summer League, he shot 4-for-20 across his first two games, then sustained a right quad injury that held him out for all but one more underwhelming appearance.
He finished the tournament averaging 6.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks on 26.1% shooting. These numbers provided hope for his rim protection potential, but certainly not his offensive potential.
Outside of a 17-point, 8-rebound showing against Haifa Maccabi, Collins didn’t impress during preseason either. (No Blazers player performed poorly in that 48-point win.)
Terry Stotts saw the potential from pairing he and Ed Davis both on and off the court, though, preventing the rookie from being sent to the G-League. With his abundant opportunities, Collins slowly earned a roster spot as the backup power forward and started seeing consistent improvement.
By the end of the season, bold Rip City fans were making Dirk comparisons on his tough fadeaways out of the post. He played 17.5 minutes per game in the playoffs, something no one would’ve guessed after his Summer League and preseason performances.
Now, entering his second NBA season, Collins has a few aspects of his game to work on the most.