Isaiah Collier was widely regarded as the number one prospect coming out of High School. One year later, Collier is being talked about as a fringe-lottery player. What happened? A little thing called prospect fatigue. Isaiah Collier is still as talented as anyone in this draft.
From: John McGillen
What I Like
If this is your first time seeing Isaiah Collier, you can see that he looks like a middle linebacker. At 6'5" 205 lbs, Collier has a frame not many guards possess. He uses his body to get downhill at ease. Collier finished 61.1% of his chances at the rim. Since he is able to pressure the rim so well, Collier is a force in transition. When he gets a head of steam, it's almost a guaranteed paint touch. His frame allows him to bounce defenders off him, giving Collier easy looks at the rim. Collier is also a solid playmaker in the half court, specifically in the pick and roll. His driving ability is so taxing on the defense that it sets up his teammates for open looks. His 4.3 assists per game and >30% assist percentages are a very good sign of his playmaking upside.
What I Don't Like
The problem with Collier resides with everything else on the court. His midrange game is pretty weak, and his three-point shooting is not the best either. Collier did recognize his faults, as he started to limit his shot attempts outside the paint as the season went on. For a player of his size, his defense is a little underwhelming. He doesn't move very well, but bails himself out of situations with his active hands.
Pro Comparison
Collier's game reminds me of Eric Bledsoe a little bit, with his ability to handle the pick and roll and finish in the paint. For a more lofty comparison, Collier could be an smaller version of Jaylen Brown if his defense improves.
Conclusion
Isaiah Collier has gotten a bad rap during this draft process. I still seem as a borderline Top 10 pick, but can understand if he slips out of the lottery. With this being regarded as a "weaker" class, anything can happen on draft night.
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