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Nick Collison

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Nick Collison
Collison with the Oklahoma City Thunder in March 2010
Oklahoma City Thunder
PositionSpecial assistant
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1980-10-26) October 26, 1980 (age 44)
Orange City, Iowa, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight255 lb (116 kg)
Career information
High schoolIowa Falls (Iowa Falls, Iowa)
CollegeKansas (1999–2003)
NBA draft2003: 1st round, 12th overall pick
Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics
Playing career2003–2018
PositionPower forward / center
Number4
Career history
2003–2018Seattle SuperSonics / Oklahoma City Thunder
Career highlights and awards
Career statistics
Points5,359 (5.9 ppg)
Rebounds4,701 (5.2 rpg)
Assists939 (1.0 apg)
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  United States
FIBA Americas Championship
Gold medal – first place 2003 San Juan Team competition
FIBA Americas U18 Championship
Gold medal – first place 1998 Puerto Plata Team competition
FIBA U19 World Championship
Silver medal – second place 1999 Lisbon Team competition
FIBA U21 World Championship
Gold medal – first place 2001 Saitama Team competition

Nicholas John Collison (born October 26, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who is a special assistant for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He spent his entire career with the organization originally known as the Seattle SuperSonics, which became the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008. Collison was drafted by the SuperSonics in the first round of the 2003 NBA draft and retired as a member of the Thunder in 2018. As a college player, he went to two Final Fours as a member of the Kansas Jayhawks.

Early life

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Collison was born in Orange City, Iowa and grew up in Fort Dodge and Iowa Falls. He attended Iowa Falls High School and was a McDonald's All-American in 1999.

College career

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Teaming with fellow Iowan Kirk Hinrich to form one of the best duos in college basketball, Collison helped the University of Kansas reach two consecutive Final Fours (2002 and 2003). Collison finished his college career as the leading scorer in the history of the Big 12 Conference (a mark since surpassed). In 2003, the Jayhawks lost to Carmelo Anthony and the Syracuse Orange in the National Championship game, 81–78. Collison also played for the United States national team at the 2002 FIBA World Championship.[1]

Collison's No. 4 jersey was retired by the Jayhawks on November 25, 2003, during halftime of the Kansas-Michigan State game in recognition of his achievements over his four-year career (2002–03 Player of the Year, consensus first-team All-America, Big 12 Player of the Year).[2]

Professional career

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Seattle SuperSonics / Oklahoma City Thunder (2003–2018)

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Draft year injury and relocation (2003–2008)

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Collison with the Thunder in March 2011

Collison was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics with the 12th overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft but missed the 2003–04 season with injuries to both shoulders. He made his NBA debut on November 3, 2004, recording two points, five rebounds and two assists in a 114–84 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Collison appeared in all 82 games in the 2004–05 season, averaging 5.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 17.0 minutes per game.[3] He played in all 82 games for a second time during the 2006–07 season. On January 9, 2007, Collison had a career-best game with 29 points and 21 rebounds in a 113–102 loss to the Phoenix Suns.[4] In 2008, the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City and rebranded as the Thunder.

Finals appearance and later years (2008–2018)

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On December 19, 2010, Collison scored a season-high 19 points and added eight rebounds in a 113–120 loss to the Phoenix Suns. In the game, he also drew his 15th charge of the season, a majority of the 22 charges the Thunder had drawn as a team to that point in the season.[5] That postseason, on May 15, 2011, Collison helped the Thunder to a Western Conference Semifinals Game 7 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, with eight points and a playoff career-high 12 rebounds.[6] The next round, Collison and the Thunder lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the Conference Finals.

In 2012, Collison helped the Thunder make the leap to the next level, and reach the NBA Finals, where they lost in five games to the Miami Heat, who were led by Collison's fellow 2003 draftees LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.

On February 3, 2015, Collison signed a two-year, $7.5 million contract extension with the Thunder.[7][8]

On July 21, 2017, Collison re-signed with the Thunder to a one-year, minimum salary deal.[9][10]

Collison's final NBA game was played on April 11, 2018, a 137–123 win over the Memphis Grizzlies where he recorded one point and one rebound.

Retirement

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On May 10, 2018, Collison announced his retirement from professional basketball.[11] On January 12, 2019, the Thunder announced that they would be retiring Collison's No. 4 jersey, becoming the first number retired by the Thunder.[12]

Post-playing career

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Following his retirement as a player, Collison joined the Thunder in the position of basketball operations representative. On August 10, 2021, he was promoted to the position of special assistant to executive Vice President and general manager.[13]

Personal life

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After the Sonics relocated to Oklahoma City, Collison continued to make his home in Seattle.[14][15]

Collison appeared on the cover of the 989 Sports video game NCAA Final Four 2004. The game was released on November 11, 2003, for the PlayStation 2.[16]

Collison has a daughter named Emma.[17][18] His younger brother, Michael, played college basketball for their father's alma mater, Briar Cliff University, in Sioux City, Iowa.[19]

NBA career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
 *  Led the league

Regular season

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2004–05 Seattle 82 4 17.0 .537 .000 .703 4.6 .4 .4 .6 5.6
2005–06 Seattle 66 27 21.9 .525 .000 .699 5.6 1.1 .3 .5 7.5
2006–07 Seattle 82* 56 29.0 .500 .000 .774 8.1 1.0 .6 .8 9.6
2007–08 Seattle 78 35 28.5 .502 .000 .737 9.4 1.4 .6 .8 9.8
2008–09 Oklahoma City 71 40 25.8 .568 .000 .721 6.9 .9 .7 .7 8.2
2009–10 Oklahoma City 75 5 20.8 .589 .250 .692 5.1 .5 .5 .6 5.9
2010–11 Oklahoma City 71 2 21.5 .566 – .753 4.5 1.0 .6 .4 4.6
2011–12 Oklahoma City 63 0 20.7 .597 .000 .710 4.3 1.3 .5 .4 4.5
2012–13 Oklahoma City 81 2 19.5 .595 .000 .769 4.1 1.5 .6 .4 5.1
2013–14 Oklahoma City 81 0 16.7 .556 .235 .710 3.6 1.3 .4 .3 4.2
2014–15 Oklahoma City 66 2 16.7 .419 .267 .692 3.8 1.4 .5 .4 4.1
2015–16 Oklahoma City 59 4 11.8 .459 .000 .697 2.9 .9 .3 .3 2.1
2016–17 Oklahoma City 20 0 6.4 .609 000 .625 1.6 .5 .1 .1 1.7
2017–18 Oklahoma City 15 0 5.0 .684 – .385 1.3 .3 .0 .0 2.1
Career 910 177 20.4 .534 .208 .723 5.2 1.0 .5 .5 5.9

Playoffs

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2005 Seattle 11 0 19.8 .607 1.000 .630 5.0 .5 .3 .5 8.4
2010 Oklahoma City 6 0 21.5 .333 .000 .429 4.7 .3 .8 .2 3.2
2011 Oklahoma City 17 0 24.3 .632 .000 .783 5.8 .9 .9 .9 6.7
2012 Oklahoma City 20 0 16.6 .647 .000 .429 3.4 1.0 .6 .3 3.5
2013 Oklahoma City 11 0 16.2 .468 .000 .917 4.6 1.1 .5 1.0 5.0
2014 Oklahoma City 17 2 10.8 .414 .400 .700 2.2 .8 .2 .4 1.9
2016 Oklahoma City 9 0 8.8 .667 .000 .500 1.2 .6 .9 .0 1.0
Career 91 2 16.8 .558 .429 .682 3.8 .8 .6 .5 4.3

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Collison Named Alternate On USA World Championship Team". big12sports.com. June 12, 2002.
  2. ^ "COLLISON'S JERSEY TO BE RETIRED". Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  3. ^ "Nick Collison 2004–05 Game Log". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  4. ^ "Suns Win Seventh Straight, Beat Sonics". NBA.com. January 10, 2007. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  5. ^ "Nick Collison contributing key minutes". December 19, 2010.
  6. ^ "Game Recap - Playoffs Round 2 Game 7 vs Memphis Grizzlies". NBA.com.
  7. ^ "Thunder Signs Nick Collison to Contract Extension". www.nba.com.
  8. ^ "Thunder sign Nick Collison to two-year, nearly $8 million contract extension". NBC Sports. February 3, 2015.
  9. ^ "Thunder Signs Nick Collison". www.nba.com.
  10. ^ "Collison signs new contract with Thunder". ESPN.com. July 21, 2017.
  11. ^ Gallo, Nick (May 10, 2018). "Seeing Off a True Pro – Thunder Fan Favorite Nick Collison Retires". NBA.com. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  12. ^ "Thunder Set to Retire Nick Collison's No. 4". NBA.com. January 12, 2019. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  13. ^ "Nick Collison To Take On New Role In Thunder Front Office". Oklahoma City Thunder. August 10, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  14. ^ WASHBURN, GARY (August 27, 2008). "Collison reflects on Sonics' relocation". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
  15. ^ "Need a view? Nick Collison's Queen Anne home "without rival"".
  16. ^ "College Hoops Sensation Nick Collison Signs as Cover Athlete For NCAA Final Four 2004 by 989 Sports". www.sony.com.
  17. ^ "The Nick Collison Guest Blog, Vol. 1: How I Spent My (Extended) Summer Vacation". GQ. December 22, 2011.
  18. ^ "Super Sonic Wedding Superb! Doing it Right at Court in the Square, Hotel 1000, and Pravda!". JanetKlinger.com. August 20, 2007. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  19. ^ "#33 Michael Collison".
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