USC freshman Collier headed to NBA draft

USC freshman point guard Isaiah Collier will enter the 2024 NBA draft, he told ESPN on Wednesday.

Collier will be represented by agent B.J. Armstrong of Wasserman. He recently was ranked as the No. 11 overall draft prospect by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Kevin Pelton.

Collier, 19, averaged 16.3 points, 4.3 assists and 1.5 steals for the Trojans and brings a 6-foot-5 frame to the playmaking position. Collier had his freshman season interrupted for a month in January by a fractured hand, but he resumed play at a high level and was selected to the All-Pac-12 freshman team.

When Collier is at his best, his combination of size, changing speeds, live-dribble passing and bully-ball finishing give him a semblance of star power that few prospects in this draft can match. Collier had one of his best college games in February against Colorado and Cody Williams, scoring 25 points and passing for nine assists with only one turnover.

Collier was the No. 1 high school recruit in the country out of Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia, and co-MVP of the 2023 McDonald’s All American game.

ESPN’s NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony contributed to this story.