Assessing Isaiah Collier’s “Unofficial” Collegiate Debut Against Mega Mis
Isaiah Collier, a five star recruit and potential top five selection in the 2024 NBA, made his unofficial collegiate debut as USC opened up their Greece against Serbia’s Mega Mis and those iconic pink uniforms. Collier helped pace USC to a 76-73 come from behind win in a game that saw USC trail by double digits in the first half. Let’s assess the takeaways from the star freshman’s debut.
Downhill Terror
Collier was outstanding at utilizing his mix of size, burst, pace and handle to get downhill for scoring and playmaking opportunities. Whether it was out of ball screens, in transition or semi-transition, it felt like he was able to put pressure on the rim and create paint touches whenever he wanted.
The dynamic guard displayed his rim finishing chops with moments of both power and finesse. My favorite illustration came on a fluid and one euro floater in the fourth quarter.
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Collier is a big guard with an NBA ready frame whose pairing of strength and touch as a finisher will be key to his long-term scoring success.
Early Playmaking/Decision Making Adversity
Despite early issues with ball security and passing accuracy, Collier bounced back to play a sound floor game featuring a couple of beautiful drop off passes (one with his hand) and an absolute dart with a live dribble corner skip pass to a Kobe Johnson catch-and-shoot-three. It’s clear why Collier is one of the top passers and playmakers in the 2024 class.
Consistent Defensive Engagement
I was impressed with Collier’s defensive engagement throughout the game. He pressured at the point of attack, fought through ball screens, closed out effectively and created a few defensive events. Collier even got on the floor for a loose ball, exactly the type of competitiveness and grit evaluators want to see.
Don’t Overreact to the Missed Jumpers
Collier couldn't find the mark with his jumper, resulting in some attempts long and way off the mark. It’s one exhibition game that shouldn't be a cause for any concern and should just serve as a data point. Despite being able to get his jumper rolling, he still found ways to score and impact the game.
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