Getting to know Gonzaga’s Zach Collins
Gonzaga’s Zach Collins is the best freshman in the country you might not know about. The former McDonald’s All-American plays just 17.1 minutes per game because the Bulldogs already have a quality starting frontcourt of Johnathan Williams and Przemek Karnowski, but his presence off the bench gives them one of the deepest group of big men in the nation.
So, what earned Collins some well-deserved recognition this week? Against Pacific on Saturday, Collins tallied 14 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in just 20 minutes of game action. There have been 51 such 14/9/5 lines this season, but only three other players have done it while attempting six or fewer field goal attempts and nobody did it in fewer minutes than Collins.
The performance is a microcosm of the 19-year old’s efficiency. In his limited minutes, he’s averaging 10.6 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 65.1 percent from the field. His 67.2 2-point percentage ranks 28th nationally, per KenPom, and he’s even shown himself capable of stepping out beyond the arc on occasion.
Karnowski has a tight grip on the starting spot in Spokane because of how his experience and passing ability help make the Bulldogs’ offense flow, but there’s no drop off when he goes to the bench. In the NCAA Tournament, Gonzaga may come to rely on Collins even more as teams look to exploit Karnowski’s slower feet in high ball screens. The freshman is more athletic and can help bottle them up with his lateral mobility.
Now, you can say you’ve been formally introduced to Gonzaga’s Zach Collins.