The Pacific-10 Conference has lost another talented underclassman to the National Basketball Association.
Stanford’s 7-foot, 260-pound center, Jason Collins, announced Monday that he will forgo his senior season on the Cardinal’s men’s basketball team to test his luck at the next level.
“I have decided that now is the time to take on this new challenge,” Collins said. “As a basketball player, the ultimate challenge is to play in the NBA.”
Collins joins Southern California’s Sam Clancy and an Arizona quartet of Gilbert Arenas, Jason Gardner, Michael Wright and Richard Jefferson as Pac-10 players who have declared early this spring for the 2001 NBA Draft.
Collins was part of the literal twin towers for the Cardinal with his twin brother, Jarron, who was a senior this past season. Collins was only a junior because of a medical redshirt season in 1997-98.
“I especially look forward to playing in the NBA with my brother Jarron,” Collins said.
Jason Collins played an integral role last season in leading Stanford to an overall record of 31-3 and a Pac-10 title en route to the NCAA Tournament’s “Elite Eight.” The junior averaged 14.5 points and a team-high 7.8 rebounds, as well as leading the Cardinal in blocked shots with 43.
“While it would be an honor to be a high draft pick, I am not overly concerned about my draft position,” Collins said. “My primary hope from the draft is that I end up in a good situation with the right team. I am excited about the opportunity to improve my game while competing at basketball’s highest level.”
Since the season ended, Collins has been honored with numerous awards. He was a first-team all-Pac-10 selection and was named to the All-American third team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He was also chosen as the Pete Newell NABC Big Man of the Year.
Although Collins has been viewed by many NBA experts as being one of the top post players in the country, he is not officially closing the door on his college career just yet. Underclassmen who do not sign with an agent have until June 20 to take their names off the draft-eligible list for the June 27 draft and, as of now, Collins has no agent.
“Education is very important to me and my family,” Collins said. “If I decide to leave school to enter the NBA, I will leave Stanford with a college degree which I will obtain in June of 2001. Should I choose to withdraw from consideration in the draft, I will continue my studies in [the] graduate program and play in one of this nation’s best collegiate basketball programs.”
Collins, though, appears poised to take his school-record .608 shooting percentage to the professional ranks.
“I had a great time at Stanford,” he said. “I will always be thankful to Coach [Mike] Montgomery for giving me the opportunity to attend Stanford and teaching me so much about the game.
“It was a great experience.”