Collins makes it official, signs with Kentucky

When a student-athlete verbally commits to a college of choice there is a small window of opportunity for other colleges to lure them out of that commitment.

Atlanta senior basketball specialist Daimion Collins never wavered from his Oct. 31, verbal commitment to the University of Kentucky as he signed his national letter of intent to play for the Wildcats Nov. 17, inside the gymnasium at Atlanta High School.

Collins was not short on scholarships as he acquired offers from: Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Houston, Oklahoma, LSU, Hampton, VCU, Baylor, TCU, La Tech, Oklahoma State, SMU, SFA, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Tulsa, USC and UCLA.

Collins whittled that list down to his final five in October which included: Kentucky, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech.

The towering baller said it wasn’t hard shaving the list down to just five because those were the schools that recruited him the hardest and were in constant contact.

One of the challenges for Collins was the fact that he could not travel to various campuses for visits during the pandemic or meet the coaching staffs in person.

Nonetheless Collins endured the onslaught of phone calls from multiple coaches during the process, and had to figure out within himself which college could give him the best opportunity to develop him for the NBA which is his ultimate goal.

One of the reasons Collins chose Kentucky is because of the high turnout of NBA talent the Big Blue Nation churns out year-after-year.

Last year Collins averaged 25 points, 14 rebounds and 8 blocks per game for the Rabbs.

When the rim rattler was a freshman he posted a height of 6-feet, three inches but now stands at 6-feet, 10 inches.

His goal is to win a state championship in his senior year with the Rabbs which comes on the heels of an impressive 2019-2020 campaign which saw the Rabbs accrue a 30-5 record overall and a 12-0 District 14-3A record which sealed a district title.

With Collins and a solid cast of players the Rabbits are positioned to make another deep postseason run.

Collins, with the support of his parents Ben and Kim Collins, played exclusively on the Amateur Athletic Union basketball circuit.

The young baller played for Blake Griffin’s Team Griffin during the summer.

All of these factors plus what he brings to the table is why his recruitment heated up quickly.

The 6-foot-10 senior is ranked 19th overall nationally, fourth nationally at the power forward position and second overall in the state of Texas by 247 Sports.

Rivals has the 5-star baller ranked 10th overall nationally and fifth nationally at the power forward position, and ESPN has him ranked 24th overall nationally, sixth nationally at the power forward position and third overall in the state in its top 100 players for the Class of 2021.

Some of the scouting reports on the Rabbit big man is that he’s an elite shot-blocker and rim protector who has an NBA frame at 6 feet, 10 inches with a 7 foot, 4-plus inch wingspan.

His offensive game is developing at a steady pace. Collins displays 3-point range, which gives him a valuable tool to complement his post-up game.

Consistency is the next step for his face-up game. At the same stage, you can see similarities between him and Anthony Davis. UK Head Coach John Calipari’s best teams always had an elite big man; Collins fits that bill.

Defensively Collins is one of the best shot blockers in his class, thanks in part to his quick leaping ability and excellent timing and instincts.

He’s got a lot of agility and lateral quickness allowing him to stay in front of ball handlers and he can switch onto wings and guard in space when needed.

Collins also considered to be a willing defender and natural shot-blocker. In fact, some regard him as the best shot-blocker in the 2021 class.

Most experts agree that Collins is one of the more intriguing prospects in the entire class.

He has a very nigh ceiling with room for expedited improvement before arriving on campus next year.

He is a freakish athlete who can run the floor and finish strong. Many experts believe he is just scratching the surface of how good he can be offensively.

All the tools are there for Collins to develop into a well-rounded prospect on both ends of the floor.

Collins is probably the best jumper out of any Kentucky big man under John Calipari. He out-jumped the max vertical test at the Team USA Combine and he puts his head at the rim on every block or dunk attempt.

The five-star big can play on the perimeter some, handling the ball and possessing a decent jump shot for his size, which will only get better. While his offensive post game is still developing, Collins’ rim protection will be some of the best that Kentucky’s program has ever seen.

And that says a lot since Kentucky’s basketball program is steeped in success with players like Dan Issel, Jamal Mashburn, Anthony Davis and Alex Groza.

Kentucky’s 17 Final Fours and eight NCAA titles comes from a commitment to greatness. Collins has a chance to be a part of something great and with his commitment the Wildcats will benefit even more.

The Rabbit turned Wildcat is ready to show what he is truly capable of and is more than ready to rattle the rim at Rupp Arena.