– Tim Povtak, NBA Fanhouse
Darren Collison didn’t improve his NBA Draft position by staying all four years at UCLA, but it certainly has saved the New Orleans Hornets this season, keeping their playoff hopes afloat.
This is no ordinary late-first-round pick.
Collison, chosen 21st overall in the 2009 Draft, has played surprisingly well for an unheralded rookie after replacing All-Star point guard Chris Paul, who is out another four weeks following knee surgery.
After Paul limped off the court Jan. 29 against Chicago, Collison replaced him with a 17-point, 18-assist performance in an overtime victory against Memphis. He followed with 16 points and 14 assists against Phoenix, becoming just the third NBA rookie in the last 20 years to have 14-plus assists in back-to-back games.
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