Don Collins

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Don Collins

| image =

| width =

| caption =

| position = Small forward / shooting guard

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 6

| weight_lb = 190

| number = 42, 7, 22, 18, 12

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|11|28}}

| birth_place = Toledo, Ohio

| nationality = American

| high_school = Scott (Toledo, Ohio)

| college = Washington State (1976–1980)

| draft_year = 1980

| draft_round = 1

| draft_pick = 18

| draft_team = Atlanta Hawks

| career_start = 1980

| career_end = 1991

| years1 = {{nbay|1980|full=y}}

| team1 = Atlanta Hawks

| years2 = {{nbay|1980|end}}–{{nbay|1982|end}}

| team2 = Washington Bullets

| years3 = {{nbay|1983|full=y}}

| team3 = Golden State Warriors

| years4 = 1984–1985

| team4 = Lancaster Lightning

| years5 = {{nbay|1984|end}}

| team5 = Washington Bullets

| years6 = 1985–1986

| team6 = Baltimore Lightning

| years7 = 1986

| team7 = Tampa Bay Thrillers

| years8 = 1986–1987

| team8 = Tampa Bay Stars

| years9 = 1987

| team9 = Rapid City Thrillers

| years10 = {{nbay|1986|end}}

| team10 = Milwaukee Bucks

| years11 = 1987–1991

| team11 = CSP Limoges

| highlights =

FIBA Saporta Cup Finals Top Scorer (1988)
3× French League Foreign MVP (1988–1990)
2× CBA champion (1986, 1987)
CBA All-Star Game MVP (1986)
2× CBA First Team (1985, 1986)
All-CBA Second Team (1987)
CBA Newcomer of the Year (1985)
CBA scoring champion (1986)
Second-team All-American – AP (1980)
Pac-10 Player of the Year (1980)
First-team All-Pac-10 (1980)
2× Second-team All-Pac-10 (1978, 1979)

| stats_league = NBA

| stat1label = Points

| stat1value = 2,983 (9.8 ppg)

| stat2label = Rebounds

| stat2value = 837 (2.8 rpg)

| stat3label = Assists

| stat3value = 546 (1.8 apg)

| bbr = collido02

}}

Donald Collins (born November 28, 1958) is an American former professional basketball player. Collins was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks, in the first round (18th pick), of the 1980 NBA draft. Collins played in 303 National Basketball Association (NBA) games for four teams, over six seasons, averaging just under 10 points per game for his career.

College career

Collins, a 6'6" tall Scott High School standout, was selected as the Pac-10 Player of the Year, after averaging 23 points per game for Washington State University, in 1980 and leading the Cougars to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1941. In a 2011 story, Cougfan.com recounted Collins' sterling career at Washington State and made the case that he is the greatest player in school history.{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/washington-state/Article/The-case-for-Don-Collins-as-Washington-States-finest-basketballer-of-all-time-104816318/|title = Is still-elusive Don Collins greatest WSU basketballer ever?}}

USBL and CBA

Collins starred in basketball minor leagues, averaging more than 30 points per game, in the United States Basketball League (USBL). A member of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA's) 50th Anniversary Team, Collins is regarded as one of the most prolific scorers in the history of minor league basketball.

Collins had two 63-point scoring games in the minor leagues, both in 1986: In the CBA, as a member of the Baltimore Lightning, against the Detroit Spirits; and in the USBL, as a member of the Tampa Bay Flash, against the Jersey Jammers.

That same year, as a member of the Tampa Bay Thrillers, Collins earned MVP honors at the CBA All-Star Game. He won CBA championships with the Thrillers in 1986{{cite web |title=1985-86 Tampa Bay Thrillers Statistics |url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbasketball/stats/t-CBATBT/y-1985 |website=Stats Crew |access-date=March 9, 2025}} and 1987.{{cite web |title=1986-87 Tampa Bay/Rapid City Thrillers Statistics |url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbasketball/stats/t-CBATBT/y-1986 |website=Stats Crew |access-date=March 9, 2025}}

Collins was selected to the All-CBA First Team in 1985 and 1986 and the Second Team in 1987.{{cite web |title=Don Collins minor league basketball statistics |url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbasketball/stats/p-collidon001 |website=Stats Crew |access-date=February 21, 2025}}

Professional career

Collins also spent several seasons playing professionally overseas, in France for CSP Limoges and Rupella La Rochelle, and in Switzerland, for Pully and Cossonay.