Nick Collison
Encyclopedia
Nicholas John Collison (born October 26, 1980) is an American professional basketball
player, currently a power forward
for the Oklahoma City Thunder
of the NBA
, and well known in basketball circles for his accomplishments at the University of Kansas.
, and grew up in Fort Dodge, Iowa
and transferred to Iowa Falls High School.
Nick Collison was a 1999 McDonald's All-American in high school while attending Iowa Falls, Iowa
.
From 3rd grade to his Senior year in high school, the Iowa Falls Cadets only lost one game. That game was lost in the state quarterfinals after Iowa Falls went from 2A to 3A and had almost no competition until the state quarterfinals.
to form one of the best duos in college basketball, Collison helped KU reach two consecutive Final Four
s (2002, 2003). Collison finished his college career as the leading scorer in the history of the Big 12 Conference
(since passed by Andre Emmett
). In 2003, his Jayhawks lost to the Carmelo Anthony
led Syracuse University
Orangemen in the National Championship game, 81–78. He played for the US national team in the 2002 FIBA World Championship
.
Collison's #4 jersey was retired by the Kansas Jayhawks at halftime of a 2004 game between Kansas
and Michigan State University
, in recognition of his achievements (2002–03 Player of the Year, consensus First-Team All-America, Big 12 Player of the Year). Like Hinrich, Collison played all four years in college.
with the 12th pick of the 2003 NBA Draft
but missed the 2003–04 season with injuries to both shoulders. He made his regular season NBA
debut on November 3, 2004 against the Los Angeles Clippers
, scoring 3 points in a 114–84 loss. He still plays for the same franchise, now the Oklahoma City Thunder since relocating in 2008. He and Kevin Durant
are the only two players remaining from the Seattle SuperSonics era (Russell Westbrook
and Serge Ibaka
were drafted by the Sonics but the team relocated before their rookie seasons).
Since his rookie season, Collison made the power forward position his own, emerging as a valuable and solid player during 2006–07, averaging nearly double figures in points (9.6) and adding 8 rebounds per game, while displaying great hustle. The following season, with slightly fewer minutes, Collison pulled down more rebounds (9.4) and points (9.8) per game.
Collison is well known for his savvy and quick defense, most notably having been among the league leaders in charges drawn several seasons in a row.
Collison decided to continue making his home in Seattle
.
Nick is married to Robbie Harriford. They have a daughter, Emma Collison.
Nick Collison's younger brother Michael plays at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa, their father's alma mater.
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Seattle
| 82 || 4 || 17.0 || .537 || .000 || .703 || 4.6 || .4 || .4 || .6 || 5.6
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Seattle
| 66 || 27 || 21.9 || .525 || .000 || .699 || 5.6 || 1.1 || .3 || .5 || 7.5
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Seattle
| 82 || 56 || 29.0 || .500 || .000 || .774 || 8.1 || 1.0 || .6 || .8 || 9.6
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Seattle
| 78 || 35 || 28.5 || .502 || .000 || .737 || 9.4 || 1.4 || .6 || .8 || 9.8
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 71 || 40 || 25.8 || .568 || .000 || .721 || 6.9 || .9 || .7 || .7 || 8.2
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 75 || 5 || 20.8 || .589 || .250 || .692 || 5.1 || .5 || .5 || .6 || 5.9
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 71 || 2 || 21.5 || .566 || .000 || .753 || 4.5 || 1.0 || .6 || .4 || 4.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 525 || 169 || 23.5 || .532 || .063 || .729 || 6.3 || .9 || .5 || .6 || 7.4
| align="left" | 2005
| align="left" | Seattle
| 11 || 0 || 19.8 || .607 || 1.000 || .630 || 5.0 || .5 || .3 || .4 || 8.4
|-
| align="left" | 2010
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 6 || 0 || 21.5 || .333 || .000 || .429 || 4.7 || .3 || .8 || .2 || 3.2
|-
| align="left" | 2011
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 17 || 0 || 24.3 || .632 || .000 || .783 || 5.8 || .9 || .9 || .9 || 6.7
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 34 || 0 || 22.4 || .578 || .500 || .667 || 5.3 || .6 || .7 || .6 || 6.6
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, currently a power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
for the Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
of the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
, and well known in basketball circles for his accomplishments at the University of Kansas.
Early life and high school career
Nick Collison was born in Orange City, IowaOrange City, Iowa
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,582 people, 1,719 households, and 1,285 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,808.5 people per square mile . There were 1,805 housing units at an average density of 584.8 per square mile...
, and grew up in Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge is a city and county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 25,206 in the 2010 census, an increase from 25,136 in the 2000 census. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Central and Northwest Iowa. It is located on U.S...
and transferred to Iowa Falls High School.
Nick Collison was a 1999 McDonald's All-American in high school while attending Iowa Falls, Iowa
Iowa Falls, Iowa
Iowa Falls is a city in Hardin County, Iowa, United States. Iowa Falls is the home of Ellsworth Community College. It is also a regional transportation center, located along U.S. Routes 20 and 65 and the Canadian National and Union Pacific Railroads. The population was 5,193 at the 2000 census. A...
.
From 3rd grade to his Senior year in high school, the Iowa Falls Cadets only lost one game. That game was lost in the state quarterfinals after Iowa Falls went from 2A to 3A and had almost no competition until the state quarterfinals.
College career
Teaming with fellow Iowan Kirk HinrichKirk Hinrich
Kirk James Hinrich is an American professional basketball player, currently a guard for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. He has also been a member of the USA National Team....
to form one of the best duos in college basketball, Collison helped KU reach two consecutive Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
s (2002, 2003). Collison finished his college career as the leading scorer in the history of the Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
(since passed by Andre Emmett
Andre Emmett
Andre Emmett is an American professional basketball player.Emmett played college basketball for Bob Knight at Texas Tech University...
). In 2003, his Jayhawks lost to the Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
led Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
Orangemen in the National Championship game, 81–78. He played for the US national team in the 2002 FIBA World Championship
2002 FIBA World Championship
The 2002 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from August 29 to September 8, 2002.-Venues:-Squads:...
.
Collison's #4 jersey was retired by the Kansas Jayhawks at halftime of a 2004 game between Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
and Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, in recognition of his achievements (2002–03 Player of the Year, consensus First-Team All-America, Big 12 Player of the Year). Like Hinrich, Collison played all four years in college.
NBA career
Collison was selected by the Seattle SuperSonicsSeattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
with the 12th pick of the 2003 NBA Draft
2003 NBA Draft
The 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...
but missed the 2003–04 season with injuries to both shoulders. He made his regular season NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
debut on November 3, 2004 against the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, scoring 3 points in a 114–84 loss. He still plays for the same franchise, now the Oklahoma City Thunder since relocating in 2008. He and Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
are the only two players remaining from the Seattle SuperSonics era (Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He was drafted by the Thunder's former incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics, which relocated from Seattle, Washington to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
and Serge Ibaka
Serge Ibaka
Serge Jonas Ibaka Ngobila , commonly referred to as Serge Ibaka, is a professional Spanish basketball player of Congolese origin, playing the power forward position for Real Madrid of the Liga ACB. He is also under contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA, but is playing in Spain because...
were drafted by the Sonics but the team relocated before their rookie seasons).
Since his rookie season, Collison made the power forward position his own, emerging as a valuable and solid player during 2006–07, averaging nearly double figures in points (9.6) and adding 8 rebounds per game, while displaying great hustle. The following season, with slightly fewer minutes, Collison pulled down more rebounds (9.4) and points (9.8) per game.
Collison is well known for his savvy and quick defense, most notably having been among the league leaders in charges drawn several seasons in a row.
Personal life
After the decision by the owners of the team to relocate to Oklahoma CityOklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
Collison decided to continue making his home in Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
.
Nick is married to Robbie Harriford. They have a daughter, Emma Collison.
Nick Collison's younger brother Michael plays at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa, their father's alma mater.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Seattle
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
| 82 || 4 || 17.0 || .537 || .000 || .703 || 4.6 || .4 || .4 || .6 || 5.6
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Seattle
| 66 || 27 || 21.9 || .525 || .000 || .699 || 5.6 || 1.1 || .3 || .5 || 7.5
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Seattle
| 82 || 56 || 29.0 || .500 || .000 || .774 || 8.1 || 1.0 || .6 || .8 || 9.6
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Seattle
| 78 || 35 || 28.5 || .502 || .000 || .737 || 9.4 || 1.4 || .6 || .8 || 9.8
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
| 71 || 40 || 25.8 || .568 || .000 || .721 || 6.9 || .9 || .7 || .7 || 8.2
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 75 || 5 || 20.8 || .589 || .250 || .692 || 5.1 || .5 || .5 || .6 || 5.9
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 71 || 2 || 21.5 || .566 || .000 || .753 || 4.5 || 1.0 || .6 || .4 || 4.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 525 || 169 || 23.5 || .532 || .063 || .729 || 6.3 || .9 || .5 || .6 || 7.4
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2005
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
| align="left" | Seattle
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
| 11 || 0 || 19.8 || .607 || 1.000 || .630 || 5.0 || .5 || .3 || .4 || 8.4
|-
| align="left" | 2010
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
| 6 || 0 || 21.5 || .333 || .000 || .429 || 4.7 || .3 || .8 || .2 || 3.2
|-
| align="left" | 2011
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| align="left" | Oklahoma City
| 17 || 0 || 24.3 || .632 || .000 || .783 || 5.8 || .9 || .9 || .9 || 6.7
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 34 || 0 || 22.4 || .578 || .500 || .667 || 5.3 || .6 || .7 || .6 || 6.6
See also
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds