USC freshman Isaiah Collier was one of the Trojans’ best guards this season. Despite missing part of the year due to a hand injury, Collier possesses a plethora of traits that will help him thrive on an NBA roster.
Isaiah Collier 2024 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
Collier played in 27 of USC’s 33 games, averaging 16.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. He shot 49% from the field, 33% from distance and 67% from the free-throw line. The Georgia native had a deep impact on the Trojans despite their sub-.500 season—their first losing season since 2018-19, and the final one of the Andy Enfield era. Collier’s efforts earned him a spot on the All-Pac 12 Freshman Team. His per-game scoring average was the top mark among all shooting guards in the conference.
Strengths
The 6’4” guard is a gifted finisher, using his speed to fly past opponents and score with an array of moves, from reverse layups to floaters. Collier also uses every ounce of his 210-pound frame to bully defenders in the paint. The freshman’s jump shot—at least inside the arc—is just as effective, as he stops and pops whenever defenders take away his driving lanes. Eight of his 11 attempts per game came from two-point range, and he converted 54% of them.
Collier isn’t just a strong player, but an athletic one as well. He shows off his hops with frequent transition slams, and his hang time only helps his crafty layups.
Lastly, the young guard is just as effective of a playmaker as he is a scorer. Collier dropped 115 dimes to his teammates this season—leading USC with an assist percentage of 31% and boosting in his status as an offensive threat. He also led USC in Points Produced this season (434), and his court vision is an underrated aspect of his game.
Weaknesses
Despite his offensive strengths, there are significant hurdles that prevented Collier from maintaining his status as a surefire high draft pick. The main one is his shooting. Collier’s aforementioned 33% from deep came off of one make for every three attempts. That will not fly in a league that is dominated by the three ball. His poor free-throw shooting is another area of improvement, especially for a guard who willingly takes contact at the rim.
Additionally, Collier is not the best defender, and is arguably a liability on that end of the floor. Despite his frame and speed, Collier was not the point-of-attack defender you’d expect him to be. As clips like this one show, he was unable to keep up with quicker offensive players and was often watching the ball instead of preventing his opponent from getting a touch. Collier can jump passing lanes and get occasional blocks, but he must remain engaged on defense instead of only seeing the floor.
Lastly, Collier’s turnover frequency is an issue that’s plagued him all year long. His 115 assists were countered with 89 turnovers this season, and he averaged 6.3 turnovers per 100 possessions. For a floor general as talented as Collier is, he must tighten up his ability to protect the ball.
NBA Comparison
Collier’s physicality, playmaking, and scoring may remind some of Tyreke Evans. Both guards are quick and physical for their frames, with Evans being measured at 6’6” and 220 pounds. Evans’ versatility allowed him to play both guard spots and on the wing. While Collier may be more limited to either guard slot, he holds similar skills to Evans, particularly the ability to score and facilitate without relying on the three-ball (though Evans did eventually grow into a solid perimeter marksman).
Another fair comparison for Collier is Kyle Lowry. Despite the stark differences in perimeter shooting, both share a “bulldog point guard” type of mold, which again is a nod towards the physicality they use to their advantage. Collier has a long way to go before living up to the Lowry expectations, but it’s a reasonable type of ceiling for him to achieve.
