NCAA Basketball: Predicting 2021 top-40 G Zaon Collins commitment
By Ian Mumm
Arizona Wildcats
The 2019 collective of Nico Mannion, Josh Green, and Zeke Nnaji immediately produced on the court for the Wildcats and will all be selected in the 2020 NBA Draft later this year. However, Coach Sean Miller has shifted his recruiting focus in 2020, after landing an extremely talented group. His incoming crop is almost entirely from overseas and modeled after successful programs like Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s that recruit in this way.
Miller also added Georgetown point guard James Akinjo via transfer to reload his backcourt. With Brandon Williams future still uncertain, Arizona is sitting comfortably with five players capable of running the team. While that’s a good problem to have heading into 2020, Akinjo, Jemarl Baker Jr, and incoming freshman Kerr Kriisa will still be on the 2021 roster.
Collins has mentioned his preference for playing in the Pac-12 conference and with players that will make him better, but he will have to scrap and fight for minutes in that experienced group. Arizona’s platform and guard-centric playing style certainly fit his skills on the court though. Collins game as a distributor and playmaker on both ends of the floor would put him near the top of both categories on the team.
His defensive assets will mesh well with a program that strongly defends across the board. A long and athletic team, Arizona had no problems creating turnovers last season and could greatly benefit the production of Collins with more looks in the open floor. He won’t be alone though, as the Wildcats sports players at nearly every position capable of running the floor with him.
Collins has talked about his positive feelings towards the program and Coach Sean Miller since he received the offer. However, the logjam of strong and proven guards in the program will be an uphill battle for him starting his career.