Darren Collison

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Darren Collison
College	UCLA
Sport	Basketball
Position	Point guard
Class	Sophomore
Career	2005 – present
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	168 lb (76 kg)
Nationality	United States
Born	August 23, 1987
High School	Etiwanda HS, Rancho Cucamonga, California

Darren Michael Collison (August 23, 1987 – ) is an American basketball player. The right-hander is a native of Rancho Cucamonga, California, and is currently playing his sophomore season for the University of California, Los Angeles. Collison is widely considered to be one of the top guards in the NCAA. He was awarded the MVP of the Maui Invitational Tournament in December, 2006 and was named the Pacific 10 Conference Player of the Week on December 4, 2006, and again on February 18, 2007. His parents Dennis and June (Griffith) were both elite track and field athletes for Guyana.

Collison grew up as a fan of the University of Arizona, but was not recruited by Arizona, and chose UCLA over San Diego State University to serve as a backup to Jordan Farmar in the 2005-06 season. Collison became the starting point guard for the Bruins during the 2006-07 season.

[edit] Career

Collison is known for his speed on both ends of the court, with Coach Ben Howland guessing he could run the 40-yard dash in 4.1 seconds. This season, he averages 2.38 steals per game -- the most in the Pacific 10 Conference. He also averages 6.8 assists (1st in the Pac 10) and 13.2 points per game, as well as a three-point shooting percentage of 48.7 percent.[1]

As the starter during the 2006-2007 season, Collison has been widely acknowleged as a great defensive player, and has helped UCLA earn its reputation as one of the best defensive teams in the country. Despite mildly spraining his ankle before the start of the NCAA Tournament, Collison has been a key player in UCLA's run to the Final Four, along with teammate Arron Afflalo.

Collison's strong performance has led to rumors of him leaving college early for the NBA. Some mock drafts have him being drafted in the top ten.