Isaiah Collier Complete Scouting Report
school: University of Southern California
nationality: united states of america
Year: 19
position: P.G.
size: 6'5″, 210 lbs.
On first impressions, Isaiah Collier looks like one of the top picks in the 2024 NBA Draft. He jumped out with outstanding physical traits and excitement on the ball.
Questions eventually arose about his efficiency and loss to the University of Southern California before he was sidelined by injury.
However, Collier began to turn things around after his return, showing improvement in key areas while remaining productive.
There are few prospects in this draft that highlight both Collier's star level and concerns.
His pre-draft process begins earlier than other teams because USC is out of the NCAA Tournament.
Expected role: main ball handler
Pro comparison: Tyreke Evans, Ty Lawson, Baron Davis
Whether as a starting point guard or a spark off the bench, Isaiah Collier is going to need the ball.
Although he is adept at scoring, he lacks off-ball skills, and his elusiveness, gravitas, and passing ability are still enough of a playmaking threat for a point guard.
With his positional strength, handle and limited jump shot, he may resemble former lottery pick Tyreke Evans. He has the frame of Baron Davis, but also the speed of Ty Lawson with the ball in the open floor.
Draft ceiling: top 10
Draft floor: top 20
A team that believes Isaiah Collier can improve his shot and decision-making may consider him worthy of a top-10 pick. There aren't many ball handlers with this much agility and power. But he also displays some fascinating creativity off the dribble and at the rim.
If a team is hesitant to draft a lead guard who shoots poorly and has a lot of turnovers, he could slide further into the mid-first round. Within that range, teams with a point guard don't have to worry about log jamming or drafting a backup, with the idea that Collier can still serve as a valuable bench spark or second-unit weapon.
At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Isaiah Collier has outstanding size and strength for a ball handler.
He is armed with the physical tools to score downhill, using his power to break through contact and score around the basket. But Collier has the agility to swing east and west, so he's more than just a north-south attacker. He keeps defenders on their heels and backpedaling.
Athletically, he is faster than explosive. His strong finishing clip at the rim stems from Collier being able to use his body and impressive layup packages instead of bouncing off into the air over shot blockers.
physicality
Isaiah Collier uses his strength on a daily basis, and it should give him an advantage attacking the rim at the NBA level. He won't be able to rely on it as much, but it will still be a distinctive aspect of his dribble-drive game and finishing package.
create an attack
Regardless of how his shot develops, it doesn't affect Collier's signature ability to make things happen with the ball. He puts pressure on defenses in transition and off-ball screens, and even when isolated against flabby defenders, Collier has the ability to shake up and blow away.
Playmaking potential
Collier's elusiveness, gravitas, and passing skills create playmaking potential. The highlight tape was more convincing than his turnover assist numbers. When focused on quarterbacking the offense, he can set the table with enough vision and setup feel to play point guard full-time.
photograph
Isaiah Collier's early NBA shooting was questionable, with just 3.0 3-point attempts, 33.8 3-point percentage and 67.3 free throw percentage. His eye tests were no longer reliable, as Collier gained little altitude with most shots using his entire arm.
Given how effectively he attacks the rim, NBA defenses will have a clear game plan to force Collier to slack off and take outside shots.
decision making
Although he has shown improvement since then, Collier has been vulnerable to careless and forced plays throughout the season. He showed tunnel vision and drove the ball into traffic. He struggled to balance shot hunting and playmaking, raising questions about his reliability running an NBA offense in the near term.
