Collison Shines Quickly In Place of Paul

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.

"He looks like a guy who has the confidence, and a strong understanding on how to play. He knows what his team needs from that position,'' said New Orleans coach Jeff Bower before playing the Orlando Magic Monday night. "He's a product of his experiences. He has the mentality, the maturity we needed.''

Collison is coming off a game-high 24 points -- including the game-clincher with 10 seconds remaining -- in a victory Saturday in Charlotte.

The Hornets (27-24) are scrambling to stay in playoff contention, hoping Collison can keep them there until Paul returns. Although he wasn't selected to play in the Rookie-Sophomore Game at All-Star Weekend, that's mainly because his opportunities this season were limited behind Paul.

Collison started eight games early this season when Paul was out with a sprained ankle. The Hornets went 4-4 with him starting. In his 13 games as a starter, he is averaging 15.5 points, 7.7 assists and 3.4 rebounds, proving to be more than ready for the rigors of the NBA.

"It hasn't been easy. Being a point guard is one of the hardest position in the league, but I never had any doubts about being a starter. You can learn a lot in a short time behind Chris,'' Collison said during an interview Monday with FanHouse. "You're in the NBA, so you really can't fail at this point. You've made it here, so just go out and play.''

Collison, 6-0, 160-pounds, is one in a long line of guards from UCLA to enter the NBA lately, but he is a rarity to have stayed four years. He played in 142 college games, learning the intricacies of being a point guard.

At UCLA, he played with guards Jordan Farmar (Lakers), Michael Westbrook (Thunder), and Jrue Holiday (76ers), each of whom played only one or two years in college.

"I can't speak for others, but it helped me playing four years, and at a prestigious school like UCLA. It helped my game develop,'' he said. "They cared about winning championships. Winning at UCLA, or winning on an NBA team, it's the same kind of experience. You're expected to do well.''

The drafting of Collison was no coincidence by the Hornets. They made the pick knowing they needed someone who could play immediately. As good as Paul has been -- arguably the best point guard in the league -- his size (6-0, 175) and aggressive style of play doesn't lend itself to playing all 82 games.

In his four previous NBA seasons, Paul played 78, 64, 80 and 78 games. At times earlier this season, Paul and Collison played together, giving fits to opponents with their quickness.

"There is a lot of responsibility on his shoulders early in his professional career,'' said Bower, who was the general manager who drafted him. "And he's handled it well. It's not a surprise, though. We watched him run a team in his college days, so we knew what he could do."