When we think of some of the best guards to every suit up for the University of Southern California in the 2000's, the likes of Kevin Porter Jr, DeMar Derozan and OJ Mayo immediately come to mind. They were all highly-touted prospects coming out of high school, took care of business with the Trojans and punched their tickets to the NBA.
This certainly seems to be the plan for incoming point guard Isaiah Collier as he will entering his freshman season for USC this coming season and the expectations will be sky-high for not only him but the entire squad. Collier was ranked the number one player in the nation by ESPN for his graduating class of 2023 and when you take a look at the past three guys to land in that spot from the past three years, the stage is set.
2020's Jalen Green was drafted number two to the Houston Rockets after an excellent season with the G-League Ignite, 2021's Chet Holmgren solidified himself as an elite two-way player at Gonzaga before going number two to the OKC Thunder, and Dereck Lively II was ranked number one in his 2022 class before a solid season at Duke that saw him drafted in the lottery by the Dallas Mavericks.
So that makes Collier the first point guard in four years to take the number one spot and experts from 247 Sports broke down what makes him so special as a player and the one thing he can improve on.
"Isaiah Collier is a 6-foot-2 point guard with a strong build, ready to make an impact on day one at USC. He has a tremendous feel and IQ for the game to go with elite vision and dynamic passing ability. Collier is an elite playmaker that can see a play before it happens as the game moves at a slower pace than many of his peers. He is also a top tier competitor that brings it every single time he steps on the floor. The one area in his game that has long held him back is his jumper and if he can prove to be a reliable shooter off the catch and can punish defenders going under ball screens he could go in the top three in 2024. Collier ranked as the No. 2 player in our rankings."
(Via 247 Sports)
This season cannot come soon enough!
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