Did Isaiah Collier declare for the 2024 NBA draft? Looking at USC star's latest career decision
Yes, Isaiah Collier did declare for the 2024 NBA draft.
The freshman star from the USC Trojans is following in the footsteps of Bronny James and has become the second freshman from the Trojans to declare for the NBA draft in the last week
During his freshman (and now only) year in college basketball, Collier averaged 16.3 points per game, which made him the Trojans' second-best scorer, only 0.2 points behind Boogie Ellis.
Collier led the team in assists with an average of 4.3 a game and had 2.9 rebounds.
Isaiah Collier was one of the stronger players on the Trojans team and has been described by some as having a "semblance of star power" that few players in this year's NBA draft have.
However, Collier's freshman season was not perfect. During the Trojans matchup with the Washington State Cougars, Collier suffered a hand injury, which ruled him out for a month. This did not stop him when he returned a month later, scoring 20 points against the California Golden Bears.
But while Collier's star performance has helped him become one of the best freshmen in the country, these performances could not help the USC Trojans make the NCAA tournament or be in the race for their final PAC 12 championship, ending the year with a 15-18 record.
Which NBA team could draft Isaiah Collier?
Now that Isaiah Collier has declared for the NBA draft, fans are wondering which team could he play for next season.
CBS Sports currently ranks Collier as the 12th-best player in the upcoming NBA draft and the fourth-best point guard available.
Declaring for the NBA draft at this point in his career could have been seen as a clever move on his behalf. While Collier has been predicted as a top-15 draft pick, his freshman season was strong but disappointing in the eyes of some. Declaring now could have been seen as a way to prevent any fall in draft stock that another year in what could be a poor Trojans side next season will bring.
One team that could be the next stop in Collier's career is the Houston Rockets. The Rockets have missed out on the playoffs, meaning that they are in contention for a top pick, but may be unlikely to get a top-five pick due to their good record in comparison to the other teams.
The Rockets best point guard is currently Fred VanFleet, who has posted similar numbers to what Isaiah Collier has done in college. Adding him to the Rockets, who have been struggling for the last few years, could be another piece in the puzzle to help the Rockets return to the playoffs.