Gonzaga freshman center and NBA prospect Zach Collins had quite the funny encounter with a member of the Portland Trail Blazers scouting team at the NBA Draft Combine, mentioning the team had just sent a psychologist to interview him.
“It was kind of funny because Portland actually just sent out their team psychologist, and no one else from the staff was there,’’ Collins told Jason Quick of CSN NorthWest. “The lady gave me a computer and I took a personality test, kind of, and she just analyzed who I was as a person, and that was it.’’
The 7-footer had shown plenty of promise and surely stood out for the Zags, while they missed the inside presence from starter Przemek Karnowski, who struggled throughout the championship game against North Carolina.
“I’m just a regular guy who has an absolute obsession with the game of basketball, and a passion to play,’’ Collins said. “I’m not going to be satisfied once I get to the league. I want to be an All-Star. I want to win championships.’’
Collins believes his primary distinction from other bigs in the draft are his versatility on the perimeter and ability to guard smaller players who will stretch out the floor on defense.
“The fact that my skillset involves me playing on both ends of the floor – shooting, guarding the perimeter, things like that,’’ Collins said.
The Blazers taking a psychologist to the combine makes plenty of sense, after all, Collins is just a freshman and will need to be not only physically, but mentally ready to take on the grind of an NBA season.
Judging by his play under the big lights of the NCAA Championship, Collins will be plenty ready to take on all comers as long as he works on his body prior to the NBA Draft.
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