Upsides
• One of the best athletes in this class, he’s fast, strong, and has almost jump out of the gym hops
• Good ball handler, he is crafty and shifty, plus his physical tools have given him a clear advantage over almost anyone who has tried to guard him so far
• Good finisher around the rim, he can finish through contact and has good touch
• Great court vision, he almost sees stuff before it even happens and is great at finding an open man
• Solid midrange scorer, he has a decent jumper and is good at creating space for himself
• Great at scoring in transition
Downsides
• He’s been turnover prone with USC this year, that’s something he is going to need to clean up if he wants to reach his potential as a ball handler and playmaker
• Really inconsistent when it comes to executing on his passes, part of the reason he has had issues with turnovers
• Not very active off the ball offensively
• 3-point shot is not there yet
• His defense hasn’t been good
Conclusion
Isaiah Collier is a very fun prospect with loads of upside. He hasn’t been super consistent with USC this year, but he has had flashes of brilliance that give me a lot of hope for what he can be in the NBA. Collier is undoubtedly one of the best ball handlers and playmakers in this draft. You can look at the turnover numbers and be concerned about his playmaking (which is a valid concern), but nearly every time Collier is on the court he shows how much potential he has in that area. He draws so much attention because of how he can take over a game with his scoring, and he uses these opportunities to make brilliant passes to his teammates. He will have to get his turnover rate down if he wants to become a truly elite playmaker, but the potential is obviously there. That leads right into his scoring potential, which is sky high. Collier is on another level physically, and he is very good at using that along with his balk handing to get anything he wants on the court. While he may not have the same edge over his opponents physically as often in the NBA, Collier has so much skill as a scorer that can easily translate to the NBA. His 3-point shot is the biggest question mark for me right now, but I do think he can at least get to league average at some point. His mechanics are solid enough to give me that hope. Defense is going to be a big swing factor for Collier. He has displayed potential there because of his elite physical tools, but he isn’t quite there yet when it comes to skill as a defender. It will be interesting to see how he develops as a defender in the NBA. Overall though, Collier is a really talented basketball player with all the potential in the world. He is one of the few prospects in this draft who can end up being a franchise players in my opinion. His elite potential on offense and great physical tools give Collier all that he needs to be a superstar in the NBA.
Shades of: Baron Davis, Jaden Ivey, Corey Maggette