Don Collins Explained

Don Collins
Position:Small forward / shooting guard
Height Ft:6
Height In:6
Weight Lb:190
Number:42, 7, 22, 18, 12
Birth Date:28 November 1958
Birth Place:Toledo, Ohio
Nationality:American
High School:Scott (Toledo, Ohio)
College:Washington State (1976–1980)
Draft Year:1980
Draft Round:1
Draft Pick:18
Draft Team:Atlanta Hawks
Career Start:1980
Career End:1991
Team1:Atlanta Hawks
Years2:
Team2:Washington Bullets
Team3:Golden State Warriors
Years4:1984–1985
Team4:Lancaster Lightning
Team5:Washington Bullets
Years6:1985–1986
Team6:Baltimore Lightning
Years7:1986
Team7:Tampa Bay Thrillers
Years8:1986–1987
Team8:Tampa Bay Stars
Years9:1987
Team9:Rapid City Thrillers
Team10:Milwaukee Bucks
Years11:1987–1991
Team11:CSP Limoges
Highlights:
Stats League:NBA
Stat1label:Points
Stat1value:2,983 (9.8 ppg)
Stat2label:Rebounds
Stat2value:837 (2.8 rpg)
Stat3label:Assists
Stat3value:546 (1.8 apg)
Bbr:collido02

Donald Collins (born November 28, 1958) is an American former professional basketball player. Collins was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks, in the first round (18th pick), of the 1980 NBA draft. Collins played in 303 National Basketball Association (NBA) games for four teams, over six seasons, averaging just under 10 points per game for his career.

College career

Collins, a 6'6" tall Scott High School standout, was selected as the Pac-10 Player of the Year, after averaging 23 points per game for Washington State University, in 1980 and leading the Cougars to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1941. In a 2011 story, Cougfan.com recounted Collins' sterling career at Washington State and made the case that he is the greatest player in school history.[1]

USBL and CBA

Collins starred in basketball minor leagues, averaging more than 30 points per game, in the United States Basketball League (USBL). A member of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA's) 50th Anniversary Team, Collins is regarded as one of the most prolific scorers in the history of minor league basketball.

Collins had two 63-point scoring games in the minor leagues, both in 1986: In the CBA, as a member of the Baltimore Lightning, against the Detroit Spirits; and in the USBL, as a member of the Tampa Bay Flash, against the Jersey Jammers.

That same year, as a member of the Tampa Bay Thrillers, Collins earned MVP honors at the CBA All-Star Game. Collins and head coach Bill Musselman, led the Thrillers to three consecutive CBA titles.

Professional career

Collins also spent several seasons playing professionally overseas, in France for CSP Limoges and Rupella La Rochelle, and in Switzerland, for Pully and Cossonay.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

|-| align="left" | 1980–81| align="left" | Atlanta| 47 || - || 25.2 || .434 || .000 || .846 || 4.0 || 2.4 || 1.5 || 0.2 || 12.7|-| align="left" | 1980–81| align="left" | Washington| 34 || - || 19.4 || .463 || .000 || .673 || 2.4 || 2.2 || 1.0 || 0.4 || 9.8|-| align="left" | 1981–82| align="left" | Washington| 79 || 18 || 20.4 || .511 || .083 || .716 || 2.5 || 1.9 || 1.1 || 0.3 || 10.0|-| align="left" | 1982–83| align="left" | Washington| 65 || 21 || 24.2 || .523 || .000 || .743 || 3.2 || 2.0 || 1.3 || 0.5 || 11.8|-| align="left" | 1983–84| align="left" | Golden State| 61 || 6 || 15.7 || .483 || .200 || .730 || 2.1 || 1.1 || 0.7 || 0.2 || 7.2|-| align="left" | 1984–85| align="left" | Washington| 11 || 0 || 8.3 || .353 || .000 || .889 || 1.7 || 0.6 || 0.6 || 0.4 || 2.9|-| align="left" | 1986–87| align="left" | Milwaukee| 6 || 0 || 9.5 || .357 || .000 || .714 || 2.5 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 4.2|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 303 || 45 || 20.2 || .485 || .069 || .749 || 2.8 || 1.8 || 1.1 || 0.3 || 9.8|}

Playoffs

|-| align="left" | 1981–82| align="left" | Washington| 7 || - || 21.3 || .432 || - || .714 || 3.1 || 0.9 || 0.6 || 0.1 || 6.1|-| align="left" | 1984–85| align="left" | Washington| 1 || 0 || 2.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 8 || 0 || 18.9 || .432 || .000 || .714 || 2.8 || 0.8 || 0.5 || 0.1 || 5.4|}

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Is still-elusive Don Collins greatest WSU basketballer ever?.