For six seasons, John Collins was a key piece for the Atlanta Hawks. Since being drafted in 2017, Collins found immediate success and was a great pick-and-roll partner for point guard Trae Young and was one of the Hawks's better defenders. He was arguably the second-best player on the team when the Hawks made their run to the Eastern Conference Finals and he is still a fan favorite in the city.
Tonight during the first timeout of the game, the Hawks gave Collins his much-deserved tribute video and the entire arena got on their feet to celebrate Collins and his time in Atlanta.
After the Jazz beat the Spurs on Sunday, Collins talked a little bit about what it will be like to come back to Atlanta for the first time:
"I have not been trying to think about it too much, but obviously it has been on my mind, I am sort of anxious to get on the court with some familiar faces and go out there and compete, I am going to be ready to play that night."
Today at the pre-game shootaround, Collins was asked about being a fan favorite in Atlanta and what the reception might be like for him:
"I am going to love it, I am going to show love where it is shown to me and the city of Atlanta has done that big time for me so I love every single one of the fans that supported me and had my back through my time here, much love to them, to all of the fans in the A and try to continue to put on a show for them wherever I am."
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