Making Isaiah Collier’s Case to be the Face of Wizards Rebuild

Highlights

• Isaiah Collier should lead the Washington Wizards’ rebuild.
• Collier possesses a rare blend of skill, athleticism, and size.
• Collier has the “it” factor with scoring and playmaking abilities.

At 9-51, the Washington Wizards are tied with the Detroit Pistons for the worst record in the NBA. As a result, they are currently one of the three teams with the highest odds to land the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, bittersweet news amid their mediocre performance this season.

Armed with a draft asset that will have enormous implications for the future of the franchise, the primary focus of the Wizards front office should already be assessing which top prospect should be the face of their rebuild.

Isaiah Collier should be face of the Wizards’ rebuild

Jordan Poole was demoted, and Tyus Jones could leave in free agency

Among the projected top prospects, Perth big man Alexandre Sarr and Serbian point guard Nikola Topic are the players linked to the Wizards most often. In the case of Sarr, the Wizards would be selecting a player with All-Defensive potential thanks to his length, athleticism, and shot-blocking instincts.

Sarr also possesses an intriguing set of offensive skills that are coveted by teams looking for modern-day centers. Topic is another player that fits an en vogue archetype; a jumbo-sized point guard at 6-foot-6 and 201 pounds.

However, the player that Washington needs isn’t a player projected to be a top-three pick at all. Not currently, at least, though he was once considered to be in the running for the top pick before scouts grew intrigued by lesser-known prospects.

On the heels of Jordan Poole’s demotion to the second unit and with the chance that starting point guard Tyus Jones leaves the Wizards in the offseason as a free agent, a backcourt piece is the right target for Washington.

However, rather than Topic, the point guard prospect that should be the face of the Wizards rebuild is USC’s Isaiah Collier.

Isaiah Collier has the ‘it’ factor

2023-24 stats: 17.0 PPG, 4.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 49.6 FG%, 32.9 3P%

USC’s Isaiah Collier entered the 2023-24 season as one of, if not, the top point guard prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft. Not surprising, given the fact that Collier was the consensus No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2023 coming out of high school.

However, as USC’s losses began piling up, Collier’s inconsistent defensive effort caused him to slide down draft boards. Then, a mid-January hand injury and the familiar allure of less heralded prospects led to Collier becoming all but an afterthought.

Subsequently, when assessing lottery prospects, Collier’s name comes up behind the likes of Nikola Topic, Reed Sheppard, Ja’Kobe Walter, and Rob Dillingham, and that’s only in regard to backcourt players.

That’s a huge mistake on the part of scouts though, as Collier has a rare blend of skill, athleticism, and size. Nonetheless, it allows the Wizards to target him without much of a concern about whether they would be able to draft him even if they don’t land the No. 1 pick.

6-foot-4 and over 200 pounds, the 19-year-old is well-built with a body already suited for the physicality of the NBA.

Yet, Collier is shifty, slithery even, and excels at creating shots for himself off the dribble. While capable of scoring from all three levels, his shooting range extends far beyond the NBA three-point line. As such, he could be considered a finesse player, but he’s a downhill scorer who can score from a wide variety of bases once he gets into the lane.

Furthermore, his gravity as a scorer lends itself to his point guard play, as Collier makes excellent reads as an ambidextrous and creative live-dribble passer.

At the other end of the floor, his size increases his defensive ceiling and makes him a feasible multi-positional defender. Meanwhile, his anticipation and quick hands off-ball are undeniably special.

In assessing his game, he has the intangible ‘it’ factor that future stars are imbued with. Just how large of a dose it is remains to be seen. However, it’s at least enough for him to be a cornerstone player for the Wizards for the foreseeable future.

Looking at his numbers, Collier has tallied at least 20 points in nearly one-third of his games this season. His scoring instincts are undeniable. In fact, the freshman ranks sixth in the Pac-12 in points per game (17.0). He also has dished out at least five assists in nearly one-third of his games this season, routinely displaying his feel and basketball IQ.

To that point, Collier ranks third in the Pac-12 in assists per game (4.1). Lastly, Collier ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in steals per game (1.6). All of which highlights his all-around productivity.

As with any prospect, Collier has weaknesses. In his case, those are his inconsistent defense, unforced turnovers, and his efficiency from beyond the arc. However, if the goal is to find players that not only have the most translatable strengths but the fewest alarming weaknesses, Collier is undoubtedly the best prospect for the Wizards.

Not only is he talented enough to be worthy of the pick in a vacuum, he’s a fine fit alongside their core pieces due to how well he creates shots for himself and others.

In becoming the face of the Wizards rebuild, Collier would–mercifully– take the mantle from Jordan Poole. Poole, though well-meaning and a player who genuinely loves the sport, has an unsavory reputation that isn’t ideal for the leader or face of a franchise. Conversely, described as a player with a “dog” mentality, Collier will have the right mentality to will the Wizards through their dog days rather than passively accepting his fate.