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Trail Blazers Only Sent Team Psychologist to Visit Zach Collins at NBA Combine

Timothy Rapp

Gonzaga center Zach Collins had a unique experience at the NBA combine during his visit with the Portland Trail Blazers, as the team only sent its team psychologist to the meeting.

"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 CSNNW. "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."

Collins offered his own psychological profile to Quick.

"I'm just a regular guy who has an absolute obsession with the game of basketball and a passion to play," he 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."

The Trail Blazers may not have sent their full staff to meet Collins since he could be off the board by pick No. 15. Both B/R's Jonathan Wasserman and ESPN's Chad Ford have Collins at No. 9 on their respective big boards, and Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported Collins is a draft riser: 

"We saw promising jump hooks and back-to-the-basket moves throughout the season, but Collins becomes really intriguing if the 10 threes and 74.3 percent free-throw mark are signs that point to consistent shooting in the future," Wasserman wrote. "The 13.6 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per 40 minutes should only help teams buy into his body and quickness."

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"I like to run. But I like to play in half court as well," Collins noted, highlighting his versatility. "Running plays, running pick-and-rolls, I love fast breaks too. That's why I think I'm unique in this draft because I can play multiple types of styles."

He added, "My skill set involves me playing on both ends of the floor—shooting, guarding the perimeter, things like that."

Collins is the type of center teams are trying to find in the modern NBA. The ability to both protect the rim defensively and stretch from the perimeter on offense is hard to find, which is why Collins—after playing just 17.2 minutes per game during his freshman season at Gonzaga—could be a top-10 pick.

   

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