Isaiah Collier needs to adapt to NBA size, and quick

Through two preseason games, there’s been a lot to like about Isaiah Collier ’s performances. He’s racked up six steals across the two exhibitions, shown that he has an eye for where and when to pass the ball, and clearly has a knack for finding driving lanes. But, there are a couple of things that the rookie needs to get a hang of if he wants to have a successful NBA career.

When Collier was playing at USC, he was listed as being 6-foot-5, but when he measured at the combine he came in at 6-foot-2.5. Clearly he wasn’t going to have the point guard size advantage that many originally thought he would. Nevertheless, his quick first step and driving capabilities were impressive and his longterm potential was enough for the Jazz to take a swing and draft him.

When Collier hit the court during Summer League action, it didn’t take long to see that he was going to need to adjust the way that he was used to scoring, and that wasn’t just from spectators. Collier himself admitted that getting to the basket wasn’t going to be enough at the NBA level. All his life he’s been known for his ability to outpower and outmaneuver opponents to get to the rim with crafty ball handling and footwork. But at his size, getting to the rim is only half the battle.

Collier experienced the same type of problems in the first couple of Jazz preseason games.

“He has a knack for the ball that’s been clear through camp,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “The steals don’t surprise me. Now we need to couple that with a little bit more solid (play) in certain moments.”

It’s widely understood that in order for Collier to earn a regular rotational spot on an NBA team that he’ll have to prove that his shooting is at least league average. But in addition to that he needs to find ways to still be impactful at the rim. Donovan Mitchell had to adjust in the same way and eventually became a near expert at getting his shots higher onto the glass on a quicker release so that opponents couldn’t block him.

A number of other players have gone through the same thing. There are ways to use pace and body and extension and angles to get over the hurdle that Collier will be facing.

Fortunately, Collier seems to be really smart with his body and is good at getting to the free-throw line. He can also use that skill to his advantage when he’s among the trees. Most important is that Collier doesn’t create bad habits on his drives or lose hope as he navigates his new surroundings.