Hoops Habit
Fansided

Charlotte Hornets: 5 options for pick No. 11 in 2017 NBA Draft

By Andrew Snyder

Apr 3, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) works around Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Silas Melson (0) during the second half in the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) works around Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Silas Melson (0) during the second half in the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
Apr 1, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Zach Collins (32) reacts during the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the semifinals of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Zach Collins (32) reacts during the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the semifinals of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Zach Collins, C, Gonzaga

I’ve mentioned the possibility of Charlotte taking Collins before, but he’s been linked to them so many times it’d be foolish not to mention him again. Collins is a seven-foot center that spent his only collegiate season at Gonzaga.

Collins helped lead the Zags to the national championship game, where they fell to North Carolina. Collins wasn’t a star at Gonzaga, but he showed flashes of brilliance thanks to a versatile array of skills. He averaged 10 points and 5.9 rebounds per game on 65.2 percent shooting. He also shot 10-for-21 from three-point range.

Scouts love Collins because of his advanced skill and his upside. He’s an effective scorer in the post and when facing up. He brings the type of versatile skill-set modern centers need to survive in today’s NBA.

Collins will be especially dangerous if he becomes an elite rim protector. He averaged 1.8 blocks per game last season in just 17.2 minutes a night. He has good defensive instincts, especially around the rim.

More from Charlotte Hornets

Still, he’s not perfect. Collins has issues with fouling. He averaged 2.7 fouls per game last season, which is part of the reason he played so few minutes. Collins was arguably Gonzaga’s most talented player, but that foul trouble kept him from reaching his full potential.

The upside is still intriguing. If Collins develops into a three-point shooting, rim-protecting machine, then he’s a perennial All-Star. In that scenario, he’s the center that every NBA team dreams about finding.

That scenario may never happen. Regardless, Collins doesn’t have the low floor that many high-upside prospects do. The worst-case scenario is likely that Collins is a reliable rotation big that can score down low and knock down shots (think a better version of Mike Muscala). His foul problems won’t kill you if he’s playing 20 minutes per night off the bench.

Collins provides a nice mix of reliability and upside. He would be a steal if the Hornets selected him with the No. 11 pick, but their current logjam down low could prevent them from doing so,

Home/Charlotte Hornets