DeAngelo Collins facts for kids

DeAngelo Marquis Collins (born November 21, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a power forward and center.

High School Basketball Journey

DeAngelo Collins grew up in Stockton, California. From the start of his high school career, he was a very promising basketball player. However, he sometimes faced challenges that slowed his progress.

Early Years and Challenges

During his first year at Tustin High, DeAngelo had some difficulties. Later, he and his mother moved to Inglewood, California. This move helped DeAngelo improve his behavior. The coach at Inglewood High, Patrick Roy, also guided him.

Becoming a National Star

At Tustin, DeAngelo averaged 12 points and 12 rebounds in his first year. By his second year, he improved to 20 points and 15 rebounds per game. He became nationally known in his senior year. Experts consistently ranked him among the top 10 players in his class. He even reached as high as 7th in the nation.

In 2001, DeAngelo was a top player at the ABCD Camp. He was named MVP of the Seniors All-Star Game. He scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in that game. He also played in the Youth Development Festival for USA Basketball.

Unique Skills and Strengths

DeAngelo was 6 feet 9 inches tall, which is very tall for a high school player. This usually meant he played as a center. However, he could also play power forward. This was because he had good shooting skills and was quick. People often said he had the body of a big player but the skills of a guard.

After averaging 24.5 points and 17.4 rebounds, DeAngelo received many honors. He was chosen as a Third-team Parade All-American. He was also named a McDonald's All-American. In the 2002 McDonald's All-American Boys Game, he scored 15 points and had 6 rebounds.

On May 1, 2002, DeAngelo decided to skip college. He chose to enter the 2002 NBA draft directly.

Professional Basketball Career

DeAngelo Collins was not chosen by any NBA team in the 2002 draft. This meant he could sign with any team as a free agent. He tried out for the Toronto Raptors but did not get an offer. So, he decided to start his professional career in Europe.

Playing Around the World

His first team was Darüşşafaka S.K. in Istanbul, Turkey. He played one game there in the 2002–03 ULEB Cup. After that, DeAngelo played for many different teams. He often moved from one country to another.

• In January 2004, he played for Central Entrerriano in Argentina. He averaged 20.5 points and 12.8 rebounds in 4 games.
• Then he moved to Mexico to play for the Juarez Gallos.
• Later in 2004, he joined Red Bull Barako in the Philippines.
• He returned to the United States to play for the Florida Flame. He appeared in 12 games there.
• In early 2005, he signed with Yunnan Honghe in China. His performance greatly improved, averaging 28.9 points and 16.6 rebounds in 16 games.

After a short time in Puerto Rico with Grises de Humacao, DeAngelo went back to Europe. In July 2005, he signed with the Italian club Roseto. He played 4 games there before leaving the team in October 2005.

Continuing His Journey

DeAngelo then played for the Dodge City Legend in the USBL in the United States. In 2007, the Dallas Mavericks gave him a chance during the Summer Pro League. However, he did not make their final team roster.

He continued his career abroad:

• He played in Jordan with Orthodox, averaging 10 points per game.
• In March 2007, he moved to Venezuela to play for Cocodrilos de Caracas. He averaged 8.4 points and 9.2 rebounds in 5 games.
• After short periods in Saudi Arabia and another American league, DeAngelo found a more stable role. He joined the Seoul SK Knights in South Korea. He played 33 games there, averaging 11.6 points and 10.3 rebounds.
• In January 2010, he returned to China to play for the Jilin Northeast Tigers. He appeared in 14 games.
• He also played again in Puerto Rico and Venezuela.
• In 2011, he signed with Shenyang Dongjin. He had strong averages of 23.1 points and 12.5 rebounds in 19 games.

DeAngelo Collins' professional career showed his dedication to basketball, playing for many teams across different countries.