Sherron Collins: The Future Can Wait

BasX · Mar 25, 2009

If Sherron Collins had any question how Kansas' fans felt about him possibly darting off to the NBA after the season, their chants of "One more year" during the final minutes against Texas in the home finale answered that.

Whenever Kansas' season does end in the coming weeks of the NCAA Tournament, it'll be Collins' decision whether to enter the NBA Draft or stick around for one final year that will be one of the off-season's biggest storylines. It will not only impact the Jayhawks for the 2009-2010 season, but all of college basketball.

If he stays, the Kansas squad—or at least Collins—could appear on the cover of every pre-season college basketball magazine as the nation's No. 1 team. If he goes, the Jayhawks possibly still make the top 25, and someone else—Duke or Michigan State, potentially—takes that top spot.

The decision will actually be put in someone else's hands—Kansas coach Bill Self's.

"I think he has my best interest in mind," Collins said. "If I need to come back, I will. We'll have another great team, another great run. If he tells me I need to go, I need to go. I've been with him for three years. I trust him because of the way he cares about you off court."

Self was surprised to hear he had so much influence.

"That's more than I know," he said. "Sherron has never mentioned the NBA to me. And to be honest, I've brought it more up to him than he's brought it up to me. And he told me that he didn't want to talk or think about that. I hope he trusts me, because I'll get accurate information. It is my goal for him to make a living playing basketball in the United States. That is my goal for him. I also think that will happen for him. I think that he needs to be very smart and investigate the correct time to make that decision."

Self wouldn't say which way he was leaning, but he did hint.

"I do think this: he's having the time of his life," Self said. "I think going into the year, that he probably thought this would be his last year, but I think now he's thinking that if it is not right, I'll come back, get my degree and have a chance to do some great things with what could be a special team."

There's no doubt that Kansas could be real special. The Jayhawks would return all their starters and most of their bench. They would also add top-25 recruits in Elijah Johnson, a combo guard, and power forward Thomas Robinson.

Collins' game as a senior could be scary. As a junior, he was a second-team All-American while averaging 18 points and five assists. He kept the defending national champions, a team that lost all five starters, afloat early, competitive in the middle and finally terrific late. It was Collins' leadership and skill that Kansas can thank for another Big 12 title.

"I didn't have any reservations that he could do it," Self said. "I had reservations initially about whether he was disciplined enough to do it. Sherron can do anything. He can be as good a leader as I've ever had, but sometimes, I think he puts himself in a position where his voice isn't as forceful as what it should be."

It's also easy to motivate Collins. He doesn't like being second to anyone. In high school, his greatest games were when he'd go up against Patrick Beverley (Europe), Brandon Ewing (Wyoming), Chris Singletary (Kent State), Michael Thompson (Northwestern) and Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls). Collins, of course, got to see Rose again in last year's national title game.

"All you have to do is tell him that he can't do something," Self said. "And his pride and stubbornness will say, 'I'll show you.' 'Who's going to guard (Derrick) Rose? I'll guard him. No, you're too little. No, I'll guard 'em. No, you're too little, we have to put somebody else bigger on him.' And all that did was just get him to say, 'I'll show you that I can guard him.' That's one of his greatest strengths along with his competitiveness."

Oklahoma's Willie Warren found that out in their last meeting. Warren got hot early, scoring eight points in a 20-2 first-half run, and started running his mouth to Collins. It's not something you want to do with a player from the West Side of Chicago. Collins stepped up and dropped 26 points on Warren while leading the Jayhawks to a win on the Sooners' home floor.

"When somebody challenges me I take that and boost my energy," Collins said. "I'm able to turn it on and take it the next level. I like when people do that. It turns my game on."

One thing Collins will have to consider when he does make his postseason decision is that he has a girlfriend and a soon-to-be two-year-old son back home in Chicago. NBA money can sometimes make those types of decisions for you.

Because he is a 5-foot-11 guard, it's not exactly easy to determine what sort of NBA player he'll be. He has plenty of skill and has proven he can play with the best in the country, but that doesn't always translate for smaller guys to success in the League. DraftExpress.com and NBADraft.net have Collins going in the early second round of the 2010 draft.

"He can score," DraftExpress.com's Jonathan Givony said. "He's a freaking scoring machine. He can shoot from deep range. He's got a good body. He's very aggressive. He wants to be a go-to guy. He's carried Kansas pretty much the whole year. I think he has a lot of stuff to improve on. I personally don't think he's ready.

"He's just very small. He doesn't really play the point for them. He's about 5-11. I don't know how many 5-11 shooting guards you find in the NBA. I wouldn't be shocked if he made it or didn't make it in the NBA."

Sounds like a challenge.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=4011597

BasX · Mar 25, 2009

Love to hear that he did that to Willie Warren, making him look silly. Dude Is a pure leader. One of the best in the nation, but I think his frame hurts him. He will play pro ball for sure, the guy can score. Hopefully he comes back and proves how good he is with the talent we will have next year. Imagine if he and Cole came back.

Lineup
C - Aldrich
F - Marcus Morris
F - Lance Stephenson*
G - Tyshawn Taylor
G - Sherron Collins

Bench
Brady Morningstar*
Markieff Morris
Tyrel Reed
Elijah Johnson
Thomas Robinson
Mario Little

* If Lance Commits to Us, If not Brady Starts

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Sherron Collins: The Future Can Wait

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