College recruiting. It can conjure up images of sleaze and shady deals and payoffs. For Net Jason Collins, it invokes memories of the country’s national security advisor.
Collins, who expected to receive his second NBA start last night against Golden State as the Nets sought payback yet again, went to Stanford with his twin brother, Jarron. And the success they enjoyed there came about, in part, through meeting Condoleezza Rice, then a Stanford official and professor who is now President Bush’s national security advisor.
“In a roundabout way, yes, she helped recruit me,” said Collins, who was impressed by Rice during a recruiting trip, and the school hauled out some heavy artillery at a luncheon to show its balance between academics and athletics. “The first time I met her was on a recruiting visit. She’s a huge fan of Stanford athletics, [was] a vice-provost and professor there. I got to meet her and she went with us to the Final Four my freshman year. She went to other games while I was there and, interacting with her, I got to know her.”
And through Rice, Collins also got to meet President Bush. She introduced Collins to him while Dubya was campaigning.
Collins, of course, advanced to become a first-round pick and the solid fundamental style he displayed at Stanford has won him a following with Net brass who turned to him last night because Todd MacCulloch was sidelined with the plantar fasciaitis in his left foot. Collins, whose twin brother has become Utah’s everyday starter, got his first start in Charlotte Jan. 5, and responded with a terrific 18-point, 12-rebound performance. That night, he played power forward, subbing for the ailing Keith Van Horn.
“He is very smart, very fundamentally sound. That is how he is going to make it in this league and be successful because of fundamentals and being smart,” Van Horn appraised. “He can play both the four and the center positions. It takes a smart player to be able to do that.”
Hey, Condoleezza Rice wouldn’t have gone after just anybody.
The Nets suddenly have taken hits in the center spot. While MacCulloch was forced to rest his foot, reliable but undersized workhorse Aaron Williams has fought knee tendinitis all season. Suddenly, a deep spot has two limping guys and a rookie.
“I’m not concerned. I really think that Twin and Aaron can both do the job,” said Byron Scott, stressing he is “comfortable and confident” that MacCulloch’s condition is “not something that lingers.”
“Those two guys [in] that position are going to be very effective,” Scott said. “I know Aaron has his ups and downs because of his knees, but given the opportunity of playing him a little bit more will probably help him also.”
If not, Collins is confident he can fill the void with his 7-0, 260-pound frame. Collins, part of the draft-night trade that also landed Richard Jefferson and Brandon Armstrong, has shown strong progress since the summer. In the summer league he was, well, unimpressive.
“I know there’s a long way to go,” said Collins. “I feel I’m learning something every day. I know I’m not perfect, no one is, but I’m always trying to get better. I know I have improved since I was drafted.