[The following scouting report is part of a series on potential 2024 draft prospects from Sports Business Classroom alumni.]

Isaiah Collier
Frame: 6’5”, 210 lbs
Position: Guard
Team: USC Trojans
2024 Draft Age: 19
Stats via www.basketball-reference.com

Offense

Collier entered the 2023-24 college season as one of the most highly-touted freshmen in the nation, and for good reason. His versatility—as an oversized guard with elite ball handling—made him extremely difficult to defend.

He’s also one of the faster players in the 2024 draft class. Collier uses his physical gifts and finesse to easily get to the rim and finish against contact while working opposing guards on the perimeter.

Collier shot 33.8 percent from three on three attempts per game in his lone college season. While that number suggests a need for improvement beyond the arc, evidence points to potentially improved shooting in the NBA. His 56.7 true shooting percentage ranked 20th in the Pac-12, and his 53.3 effective field goal percentage ranked 10th.

Still, the Pac-12 All-Freshman selection must improve with his care for the ball. He turned the ball over 3.3 times per game compared to 4.3 assists. His total turnovers ranked fifth in the conference. Collier tends to get careless due to his bully ball frame, but that won’t have the same level of success against NBA competition.

Defense

Collier does have great length, but when he is engaged defensively (which was not a guarantee during his freshman season), he has some of the best hands in the 2024 draft class. He averaged 1.5 steals per game (seventh in the Pac-12), and his steal percentage ranked sixth.

He is also very difficult to push around, giving him some better-than-average ability to defend in the paint, similar to a player like Josh Hart of the New York Knicks but to a lesser extent. His defense should translate better to the NBA than his shooting if he can remain focused and has rim protectors behind him that allow him to use his active hands.

Looking Ahead

Collier is projected to be a first-round pick and could go as high as the top 10. He certainly has the talent and the physical gifts to make an impact in his rookie season, but with a few years in an NBA training regimen, there is no telling what his ceiling could be.

Staying mentally engaged, becoming a more consistent shooter and reducing turnovers may be all that stand between Collier and a very successful NBA career.