PORTLAND, Ore. — If you’re looking for a glimpse into Zach Collins’ future development, look no further than Indiana big man Domantas Sabonis.
Sabonis, the son of Trail Blazers great Arvydas Sabonis, has a lot in common with Collins. They both played college ball at Gonzaga. They were both 20 years old when they were drafted. Sabonis was selected with the 11th pick in 2016 and Collins with the 10th selection in 2017. Sabonis was listed at 6-foot-10 and 230 pounds when he came into the league. Collins was the same weight but two inches taller.
In their rookie seasons, both players struggled at times while showing glimpses of their potential as floor-stretching big men who could protect the rim and guard out on the perimeter.
Look at how similar their stats were as rookies:
Per-game
Per-100-possessions
After his first season in the league, the Thunder traded Sabonis to the Indiana Pacers as part of the deal that brought Paul George to Oklahoma City. Sabonis’ role didn’t expand that much in Indiana; he only played about four minutes more per game. But a combination of physical development and increased comfort with his role led to a surge in production in his second season.
Sabonis put on 22 pounds of muscle between his first and second seasons and is now listed at 252 pounds. In Indiana, Sabonis improved his shooting, making 51 percent of his shots from the field, 35 percent from the 3-point line and 75 percent from the free-throw line. He ended up averaging about 12 points, eight rebounds and two assists per game last season in Indiana.
The biggest jump for Sabonis was his impact on offense, as evidenced by a sizable jump in offensive rating. During his rookie season, Sabonis’ team scored 93 points per 100 possessions. In his sophomore campaign, Sabonis’ team averaged 110 points per 100 possessions.
Collins said his offseason priority is increasing his strength and weight during the offseason. General manager Neil Olshey said he wants to see Collins operate more out of the post going forward, while continuing to improve as a 3-point threat.
It’s not a stretch, considering their similarities, to see Collins progress at the same level Sabonis did his second season by increasing his size and strength, improving his shooting and becoming more comfortable with his place on the Blazers and in the league.
Jared Cowley is a digital producer who writes about the Trail Blazers and other topics for KGW. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/jaredcowley.
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