No. 1 overall recruit Isaiah Collier talks commitment to USC

Isaiah Collier is the No. 1 overall player in America according to the On3 Consensus — the average ranking from all four major recruiting media companies.

The 6-foot-2 point guard out of Marietta (GA) Wheeler finally ended his recruitment in November, selecting USC over the likes of Michigan, UCLA, and Cincinnati.

I recently caught up with Collier to discuss his commitment to the Trojans and more.

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Why ultimately USC?

Collier: “Definitely the relationship I built with the coaches. Coach (Andy) Enfield is getting back to Dunk City out there, so that’s really the goal.”

What will you bring to the team next year?

Collier: “I’m gonna bring someone that’s gonna compete every day. I just want to earn my spot, really. I know nothing’s going to be given. So just definitely going out there and compete, bringing leadership, things like that, that competitive nature out there.”

What aspects do you want to improve the most?

Collier: “Shooting the ball and staying consistent. I feel like it’s gotten a lot better, but just staying consistent, you know, it’s nice when it’s falling.”

What are you most excited about once you get down to USC?

Collier: “I mean, I’m ready to just play college basketball. Really just the experience of getting to March Madness and things like that. So hopefully just making a deep run in March.”

What’s a message you have for USC fans?

Collier: “We here. That’s really what it is. We are coming to compete from day one. Looking to run the table.”

Collier’s Scouting Report

“As a point guard, there are so many pieces that stand out about Isaiah Collier. The first thing is his pace. While Collier has blow-by speed with a quick-twitch first step that he can generate in a phone booth, he does not get sped up. His vision is two and three steps ahead in dissecting a play, and he allows everything around him to unfold and create the perfect angle to deliver. 

Collier is excellent in the pick and roll. He is a threat to pull up in the mid-range, attack the front of the rim, or deliver a pin-point pass, whether that be to the roll man or the open player on the weak side. Collier’s ability to pick apart a defense from the high pick and roll or side pick and roll is uncanny. He can get his team open shot after open shot. 

The five-star can also run his team in the open court. He is great in transition, mixing speed and balance when attacking the basket. Collier has an array of euro-steps and side steps to create open angles at full speed. He can also find an open teammate or finish through contact.” — On3’s Jamie Shaw