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Around this time last year, rumors circulated about a potentially-massive rift in the locker room, between guard Trae Young and forward John Collins. An Eastern Conference Finals-run later, and things seem to be better than ever in the Hawks’ locker room. As good as things have been going in the locker room, the Hawks have arguably seen more success with their play on the court, having won the last seven of 10 games, following a lackluster start to the season. What was the reason for this big turnaround? Coaching replacement? Definitely not. Injury to a key player? Perhaps. Someone stepping up? Ding-Ding, winner! John Collins has come out to prove that he deserves every penny of that extension he signed this past offseason, slowly becoming the second star we all knew he could be.
If you were like me this past offseason, the idea of using a max-contract slot on a player as unique as John Collins seemed a bit ludicrous. Yes, he is an excellent player and an even better presence in the locker room, but is that enough to grant someone the max? Thanks to Travis Schlenk, we won’t have to answer that question. If I were the General Manager of the Hawks, and someone asked me today if I would pay John Collins a max contract, my answer would be yes, a hundred times out of hundred. I am not sure why I ever doubted a player who is one of the most selfless and team-first players in the entire NBA, but I did. So, to Mr. Collins, I sincerely apologize because you have proved me wrong yet again.
The son of two veterans, John Collins learned the value of a strong work ethic from a young age, and it shows. Every year he has been in the league, he has significantly improved a part of his game. He went from shooting virtually no three-pointers in college to becoming a 40% three-point shooter in the NBA, a mark that even Trae Young has yet to hit. He went from a defensive liability to becoming one of Atlanta’s best help-side defenders, stifling opponents at the rim. In Collins’s first year with the Hawks, there were times that he literally did not know how to pass a basketball. Now, he is throwing lobs to his front-court mate Clint Capela regularly. At one point, his touch around the rim was non-existent. He has now developed a floater-game that looks an awful lot like Trae Young (well, that may have been a bit exaggerated, but you get the point).
John Collins has had many “I made it moments,” but the one that changed my mind about him was a simple put-back play in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. It was nothing special for a leaper like John, in fact, it probably wouldn’t have been that crazy for most players to make that play. It went down in the box score as two points and one rebound for John, but it meant so much more for this team and the city of Atlanta. It was the play that kept us in a dog fight, in which we overcame an 18-point deficit to tie up a series we were not even supposed to win. It showed the team that we are not the ones being pushed around, but that we are the ones that push. That is the best way to describe JC’s game to a casual NBA fan, it may have just been two measly points, but it is the way he did it that truly matters. Now, there is a reason this article is not called “Why John Collins was Really Good in the 2021 Playoffs.” Just like JC on the court, his game is never static. Every year, I have thought I would see the best of him, but he keeps coming back and improves every season. This year is no different. You may look at his statistics this year and say, “17.1 points, 8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks? That is nothing too crazy,” but it is critical to look deeper than just the raw numbers when evaluating the season that John is having. I guess you could pick and choose how to argue his spot on the 2021 All-Star team. Do you like efficiency? How about 57/40/78 shooting splits, or a true shooting percentage of 65.3%. He is also ranked sixth in the NBA for Offensive Rating. How about excellent defense? John’s currently averaging 0.8 steals and 1.4 blocks a game and is 19th in Total Block Percentage. If winning is all that matters to you, he is 4th in the league in total RAPTOR (a statistic that includes players’ plus-minus and wins above replacement).
These statistics are great to measure John to other players, but the best way to truly enjoy John’s game is just by watching. He plays with an unbridled joy and passion that rivals some of the all-time greats. He has quickly become the life force of this Atlanta team, using a massive block, a poster slam, or a dagger three-pointer, to swing the momentum in any game or playoff series. He carries himself in the media like a veteran, and oh boy, the dunks, the dunks and THE DUNKS. There are certainly a lot of those. Whatever it is you are looking for in a basketball player, John Collins has IT and then some. So, a maybe the better question to ponder is: why would you not vote John Collins to be an All-Star?
