John Collins Looks like....

[MexicoHusky]

I don't remember this guy John Collins in college at all. Had to look him up. Wake Forest apparently. He does a ton for the Hawks. He's been great in the playoffs.

All that said.... he kinda reminds me of Whaley. Or Whaley reminds me of Collins.

Not really making the claim that Whaley's game is suited for the modern NBA. I know that argument has been made on this board before. But I'm also kinda making that argument.

 

[MexicoHusky]

This highlight is kinda awesome as well.

 

[MDHuskFan]

If IW was Collins, he’d be in the NBA. Collins is a next level athlete and muchhhhhh better offensively than IW. Oddly enough they’re the same age.

 

[MexicoHusky]

If IW was Collins, he’d be in the NBA. Collins is a next level athlete and muchhhhhh better offensively than IW. Oddly enough they’re the same age.

That's fair

 

[Mooch82]

Collins was an underrated 3 star recruiter out of Florida...but one of those guys who you knew was underrated when he committed and knew he was going to outperform his ranking (based on offers, insider intel, etc.). Was underutlilized as a freshman due to some upperclassmen being ahead of him and him also getting in foul trouble quite a bit, but his stats per 40 minutes were great. Then as a sophomore, the upperclassmen graduated and he really flourished. Wake was a last 4 in the tourney and lost in the First Four, but Collins was a beast. Averaged like 19 and 8 or something. He's expanded his game quite a bit in the NBA though; never had close to the range he has now.

 

[bmayuc]

In some ways I don't understand the "Whaley's game isn't designed for the modern NBA" talking point.

He's a guy that is super athletic, has shown massive improvement over time, has a solid and rapidly improving spot up jumper, is a superior defender(especially in space on the P&R), and can rim run with the best of them.

That is exactly the prototype for what NBA teams are looking for in their energy bigs.

Now, IW is probably closer to 6'6 than 6'9, which to me is his biggest problem. But the STYLE of his game is perfectly matched to the way the league is headed.

 

[Lefty2one]

He's a mobile big man which is valuable at the next level. He's undersized and an average NBA athlete (at best) whose perimeter game needs to come a long way. I hope he can catch on with a team.

 

[NJHusky]

He's a mobile big man which is valuable at the next level. He's undersized and an average NBA athlete (at best) whose perimeter game needs to come a long way. I hope he can catch on with a team.

It seems like guys like Tyler and Adama would have an easier time on D if we played some zone....but we know that isn't happening.

 

[polycom]

In some ways I don't understand the "Whaley's game isn't designed for the modern NBA" talking point.

He's a guy that is super athletic, has shown massive improvement over time, has a solid and rapidly improving spot up jumper, is a superior defender(especially in space on the P&R), and can rim run with the best of them.

That is exactly the prototype for what NBA teams are looking for in their energy bigs.

Now, IW is probably closer to 6'6 than 6'9, which to me is his biggest problem. But the STYLE of his game is perfectly matched to the way the league is headed.

Whaley is athletic relative to college basketball not relative to the NBA...

 

[HooperScooper]

I don't remember this guy John Collins in college at all. Had to look him up. Wake Forest apparently. He does a ton for the Hawks. He's been great in the playoffs.

All that said.... he kinda reminds me of Whaley. Or Whaley reminds me of Collins.

Not really making the claim that Whaley's game is suited for the modern NBA. I know that argument has been made on this board before. But I'm also kinda making that argument.

The big difference being that Collins is an athletic freak and Whaley is probably an average, at best, athlete at the college level. We've all watched enough of the NBA to know that freak athleticism is a highly desirable skill that helps. If Whaley had Collins' athleticism he'd be in the NBA already.