Nick Collison: Set for a 15th NBA season

Former Kansas basketball star Nick Collison is an amazing athlete. He is set to play a 15^th season in the NBA.

It’s difficult to imagine Nick Collison played his last Kansas basketball game way back in 2003- before you had an iPhone.  Was it really that long ago? What fun watching Collison and Kirk Hinrich racing up and down the court for Roy Williams. Some fans including this writer probably took for granted the back to back final fours.

As a matter of fact, I’m still mad about that 2003 NCAA championship game. I wanted that championship so badly. I wanted it Nick, Kirk, Roy and it was so close. I had a neighbor in Southern California who was a Syracuse graduate.  I haven’t talked with him since.  I’m not kidding.

After that final game I expected Collision to have a successful NBA career. This big kid from a small town in Iowa who has his retired jersey hanging in Allen Fieldhouse has had more than a successful career.

His shoulder injury kept Collison off the court the season following his final game for Jayhawks. I will admit, I was concerned he might not have the strength to recover and play in the NBA.  On the other hand, I guess I don’t know much about Collision. He recovered enough to play every game the next season and is still contributing. Erik Horne in the Daily Oklahoman confirmed Collison will play again next season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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• Kansas football: Reviewing Jayhawks PFF grades, snap counts from win over Nevada
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It is incredibly rare for an athlete in any professional sport to stay with one organization their entire career.  Especially a career that spans 15 seasons. He is the last member of the Seattle team that moved from the Pacific Northwest. The 36-year-old Collison is closing in on 1000 NBA games including playoff action. I still want him to win a championship.