No, this 2024 NBA draft did not unfold the way USC’s Isaiah Collier hoped it would. Collier wasn’t a top-five pick. He wasn’t a top-10 pick. He wasn’t a lottery (top-14) selection. He didn’t even stick in the top 20. He fell to No. 29 and went to the Utah Jazz. However, Collier is intent on dusting himself off, picking himself off the canvas, and fighting for his pro career. He has one notable figure in his corner, giving him measured but sensible advice about the mental side of handling a draft-night tumble: LeBron James.
“It’s vibes just talking to him,” Collier said. “He told me to enjoy the process. It’s hard to make it even this far in your career.
“I’ve talked to LeBron a couple of times. He has definitely been a great resource for me. He is one of the greats — in my opinion, the greatest of all-time. It was crazy surreal to have met him. I’m blessed to be in this situation and I’m taking advantage of every moment.”
LeBron James instantly met and actually exceeded the hype attached to him as an NBA prospect. Isaiah Collier is not in that position. Yet, LeBron has seen players come and go over the past 20 years. He knows what the process is like and is trying to give Collier a blend of realism and confidence. Collier can’t get down on himself now, and that’s part of what LeBron James was trying to emphasize in his words of inspiration. Collier’s draft night didn’t go the way he wanted, but he’s still a first-round pick and still has a chance to repair his career.
Collier has only just begun to fight for his NBA existence. LeBron James hopes he will make it, just like another USC teammate named Bronny James.
Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.