John Collins (basketball) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
John Collins

Collins with the Atlanta Hawks in 2021
No. 20 – Utah Jazz
Power forward
Personal information
Born	(1997-09-23) September 23, 1997 (age 27) Layton, Utah, U.S.
High school	Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach, Florida)
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
College	Wake Forest (2015–2017)
NBA Draft	2017 / Round: 1 / Pick: 19th overall
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks
Pro career	2017–present
League	NBA
Career history
2017–2023	Atlanta Hawks
2023–present	Utah Jazz
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2018) First-team All-ACC (2017) ACC Most Improved Player (2017)

John Martin Collins III (born September 23, 1997) is an American professional basketball player. He plays as a power forward for the Utah Jazz in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The Atlanta Hawks chose John Collins as the 19th pick in the 2017 NBA draft.

Early life and interests

John Collins was born in Layton, Utah. His parents, John Collins Jr. and Lyria Rissing-Collins, served in the military. His father was in the Navy, and his mother was in the Air Force. Because of their military careers, John's family moved around a lot when he was young. They lived in places like the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and Turkey.

As a teenager, John often played soccer on his mother's military bases. He is a big fan of Premier League football, especially the London team Chelsea.

John went to Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was a top player there, earning the Florida Class 4A Player of the Year award in his senior year. In 2014, he decided to play college basketball at Wake Forest.

College career highlights

John Collins played in every game during his first year at Wake Forest. He was very accurate at shooting, leading his team in field goal percentage.

John Collins at the free throw line in 2017

During his second year, John became a starter and really shined. He led Wake Forest in scoring and rebounding. He averaged 19.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. He also led the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in field goal percentage.

John had an amazing streak of 12 games where he scored 20 points or more. This was the longest streak ever for a Wake Forest player. He was also the first player since NBA Hall of Famer Tim Duncan to score over 600 points and grab over 300 rebounds in one season. Because of his great performance, he was named the ACC Most Improved Player. He also made the first-team All-ACC.

After his successful second year, John decided to enter the 2017 NBA draft. This meant he would not play his last two years of college basketball.

Professional basketball journey

Atlanta Hawks (2017–2023)

On June 22, 2017, the Atlanta Hawks picked John Collins as the 19th player in the 2017 NBA draft. He signed his first professional contract with the Hawks on July 1, 2017.

During the 2017 NBA Summer League, John played very well. He averaged 15.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. His strong play earned him a spot on the All-Summer League First Team. One of his most memorable plays was a powerful dunk over Pelicans player Cheick Diallo.

In his third NBA game, John recorded his first "double-double." This means he had 14 points and 13 rebounds in one game. He quickly followed this with another double-double the very next night.

John got his first chance to start a game on November 22, 2017. He played 38 minutes and had 14 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals. He continued to improve and became a key player for the Hawks. By the end of his first season, he averaged 10.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He also had 11 double-doubles. On May 22, 2018, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

On January 23, 2019, John scored a career-high 35 points in a game against the Chicago Bulls. Later, on April 10, 2019, he set a new career high with 25 rebounds in a game against the Indiana Pacers.

John Collins in 2019

John was out for a period during the 2019-2020 season. When he returned on December 23, 2019, he immediately made an impact, scoring 27 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. He continued to have strong performances, including a game with 33 points and 16 rebounds against the Los Angeles Clippers.

On August 6, 2021, the Atlanta Hawks signed John Collins to a big five-year contract. This showed how much they valued him as a player. On January 13, 2023, John made a game-winning shot right at the buzzer against the Indiana Pacers. This helped the Hawks win 113–111.

Utah Jazz (2023–present)

On July 7, 2023, John Collins was traded to his hometown team, the Utah Jazz. This was an exciting move for him, as he returned to play where he was born.

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

Play-in

Playoffs

College

See also

In Spanish: John Collins (baloncestista) para niños

• List of NBA career field goal percentage leaders