The Hometown Team
John Collins brings with him a few striking similarities to Heat legend Udonis Haslem: Tenacity on the glass and being homegrown as a product of South Florida.
Much like Haslem’s time as a standout at Miami High, Collins grew up in West Palm Beach and attended Cardinal Newman High School all the while attending and watching Heat games as a fan.
"“I was a big Heat fan,” Collins said (via The Miami Herald’s Manny Navarro) . “That Big Three era was the era I got to witness fully and got to see play out. It was big for me to watch LeBron [James], D-Wade and [Chris Bosh] take over South Beach.”"
He continued, adding that he is a “big fan” of Pat Riley and that it’d be “really cool” to meet with him and surely that meeting happened last week during Collins’ private workout with the Heat.
While this aspect isn’t quantifiable, there is something to be said about a player that already reveres the franchise. Much of this year’s draft narrative is centered around Lonzo Ball landing with his hometown team the Los Angeles Lakers as that’s where he’d be most comfortable.
Fit and comfort for the player is as important as any statistical category and it appears as if Collins would be highly motivated to earn his way into the Heat’s rotation.