Defining a career season for John Collins, a stretch-big star with one of the most unique skill sets in basketball, is a highly challenging task that can be perceived in many different ways. It could be as simple as winning a championship or centered around individual accomplishments, such as an All-Star appearance.
However, next season could be an outcome of both, as John Collins will be in his best environment yet. Fans, particularly those of the Atlanta Hawks, will undoubtedly argue that the Wake Forest product had better surroundings in Peachtree City, given the point guard he had, Trae Young, and less talent around, meaning more opportunities. Reasonably enough, they have a point.
As a Hawk, Young was the Batman to Collins as Robin, as they brought the best out of a flashy, guard-big tandem, and this was on display in 2018-19, the first season for the legendary collegiate point guard from Oklahoma.
Young's playmaking abilities instantly raised Collins' averages from rookie to sophomore by 9.5 points, who finished at 19.5, with shooting splits of 56.0% from the field and 34.8% from beyond the arc.
Although Collins suffered injuries thereafter, the duo had Atlanta fans in awe, standing on their feet in State Farm Arena, each time an alley-oop or poster dunk was made.
Furthermore, the Utah Jazz did a tremendous amount of work with Collins, but one thing he never received was a player like Young, or any guard who was an above-average to elite floor general. With the LA Clippers, he has two, and the best being yet to come for the Hawks' former first-round pick is approvingly believable.
John Collins will always be playing with one of the greatest passers in NBA history
The most dominant fans who have seen John Collins thus far have been as a member of the Atlanta Hawks or Utah Jazz, but he has not yet reached his peak. Collins is only 27, and will be in the front-court of a team employing James Harden and Chris Paul.
One elite playmaker may have been enough on the Atlanta Hawks, yet with two, Collins must always be ready to jump. These are ultimately free points, given that the defenders' only options are to allow the dunk to happen or get copied and pasted on a poster.
That said, Collins could average the most notable efficiencies of his career on the Clippers, with a points per game average around 20, stamping the greatest season of his recently ignited prime.