David Zalubowski / Associated Press
San Antonio Spurs forward Zach Collins (23) in the second half of an NBA basketball game on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, in Denver.
Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024 | 2 a.m.
There was a time last season when Spurs forward Zach Collins was struggling with his outside shooting, and coach Gregg Popovich prohibited him from attempting 3-pointers.
Collins, a Bishop Gorman graduate and Henderson resident, gets asked a lot of questions about his life in the NBA. Those questions often focus on what it’s like playing for one of the league’s all-time greats.
Popovich has coached the Spurs to five NBA titles and last summer was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
“He’s awesome, man,” Collins told the Sun. “He has so much knowledge about the game and so many tricks to get the best out of you.”
Stuck in a shooting slump, Collins followed his coach’s advice and wound up becoming a better player. He didn’t attempt a 3-pointer for three weeks.
“It opened up my game so much more. It ended up being a benefit,” the 6-foot-11 power forward said. “I was rolling to the basket more, being more aggressive, and the team was more efficient. He knew what he was doing.”
And when he started shooting again, Collins’ outside touch suddenly reemerged.
This is Collins’ sixth season in the league, and he’s just 26 years old. He’s one of San Antonio’s most valuable players, as witnessed by the two-year, $35 million contract extension he signed at the beginning of the season in October.
Collins and the Spurs were a perfect match.
He revived his career in San Antonio, where he landed in 2021 with a partially guaranteed three-year contract after injuries limited him to 11 games the previous two seasons with Portland.
He missed the entire 2020-21 campaign because of ankle surgeries.
In San Antonio, he finally got healthy and averaged 11.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists over 66 games last season.
More importantly, he developed frontcourt chemistry with rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama and has been entrusted to mentor the teen many feel could be one of the game’s next superstars.
“I am leading by example and trying to be more of a vocal leader,” said Collins, who is totaling 13 points, six rebounds and 3.4 assists per game this season.
“I’m going to continue staying in the gym and working hard and practicing what I preach,” he said.
Bishop Gorman's Zach Collins (12) dunks strongly over Findlay Prep's Oshae Brisset (11) during basketball at the South Point Casino on Saturday, January 23, 2016.
Collins said his work ethic was developed on the courts of Southern Nevada.
He grew up attending schools in Henderson and playing in Las Vegas youth leagues. He flourished at Bishop Gorman, where in 2016 he was a McDonald’s All-American.
And he still loves this area. He bought a home in Henderson a few years ago.
“I live a few blocks from where I grew up,” he said. “It just grounds me being home. Most of my friends still live in that area. People who don’t live in Vegas don’t realize the community we have outside of the Strip. You get the best of both worlds — the Strip and our community.”
His closest friends are the same people he grew up with, the people whose trust he’s earned and vice versa.
Collins’ journey includes reaching the national championship game in 2017 with Gonzaga as a college freshman.
A few months later, he was drafted 10th overall into the NBA. His entourage in the NBA Draft waiting room included Grant Rice, his high school coach.
“I’ve got a great foundation. I know it sounds cynical, but I am not looking to make any more friends,” he said. “I’ve got my group. They make life a lot less stressful. I love hanging out with them. It’s like being a kid all over again.”
Also making his life less stressful: Being healthy.
“Whether I am in the rotation or not in the rotation or not playing well, it’s all about staying in the grind,” he said. “I’m not going to stop working. I’m going to stay in the gym and get better.”
