At this time last year, Trail Blazers power forward/center Zach Collins was entering his first official NBA practice after being selected with the 10th overall pick of the 2017 Draft after just one season at Gonzaga. And while stepping onto the court at the Trail Blazers’ practice facility at the start of 2017 training camp was the culmination of a lifelong dream for Collins, it also came with the kind of nervousness and unease one experiences when something which was previously intangible becomes real.
A year later, Collins is entering his sophomore season after averaging 15.8 minutes in 66 appearances as a rookie.