Kansas basketball: Ranking the top 10 Jayhawks of all time
6. Nick Collison (1999-2003)
Nick Collison was a baller with the Jayhawks. He had tremendous individual and team success at Kansas, which can be seen in some of his more memorable achievements during his time in Lawerence:
- 2003 National championship runner-up
- 2003 NABC Player of the Year
- 2003 Consensus first-team All-American
- 2003 Big 12 Player of the Year
- 2x First-team All-Big 12
- 1x Second-team All-Big 12
- No. 2 in career points at Kansas (2,097)
- Jersey retired
From the moment Collison stepped on campus, he was a major contributor for some of Roy Williams’ best teams at Kansas. As a true freshman, Collison averaged 10.5 points per game and by his junior season, that number was up to 15.6.
Collison’s senior year was a special one though.
He averaged 18.5 points and 10 rebounds per game, and along with fellow senior Kirk Hinrich, Collison led the Jayhawks to a Final Four, and then a national championship appearance against Carmello Anthony and Syracuse.
The Jayhawks were defeated in that final game 78-81, and it was a rotten way for the Collison and Hinrich era to end. Collison did go on to a successful professional career though, all of which he spent with the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise.