1999-2000 Bio Live NBA Draft updates
Former Georgia Tech standout Jason Collier was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 15th pick in the first round of the 2000. He was then traded to the Houston Rockets for Joel Pryzbilla of Minnesota and a future first-round pick.
Collier (C, 7-0, 260, Springfield, Ohio) was a two-time second-team all-ACC selection at Tech. He averaged 17.0 points and 9.2 rebounds (led the ACC) in 1999-2000.
QUOTES FROM JASON COLLIER
“I’m very excited and very happy. This is all so unbelievable. I figured I would go around this point, but I didn’t know to whom. I’m very happy that Milwaukee selected me, and then happy that Houston traded for me. Milwaukee didn’t tell me that they were going to trade me, but I had gotten a hint from my agent Richard Howell.
“Houston is a great organization. They won back-to-back NBA championships in the 90’s. I know all about Steve Francis after playing against him last year. The more I can play next to or behind Hakeem Olajuwon, and the more I can learn from him, the better off I will be. And I know I will learn a lot from Coach Tomjanovich. I talked to him, and he’s a great guy and a great coach. I’m really looking forward to playing for him and for the Houston Rockets.”
“I kind of knew that Houston liked me because they brought me in once, and then they brought me for a second time. They had me do al ot of shooting drills, stuff that I was good at, and I guess I caught their eye. They’ve put a lot of faith in me and I appreciate that. I think they’re getting an early Christmas present, and I plan on working very hard to give it to them.
“I’m looking forward to getting the deal worked out as quickly as possible so I can move to Houston and start working out. I can’t wait to start my career with the Houston Rockets.
“I’m in school this summer (summer session ends July 7). Then I’ve got six hours left that I plan to come back and finish next summer. I’m very excited about coming back to Georgia Tech and finishing my degree. That’s something I promised myself, my parents and Coach Cremins.
“I’d say there are 50 or 60 people here [at his parents’ home], easy, and they’re all very excited and very happy.
NOTES:
Collier is the 12th Georgia Tech player to be selected in the first round since 1983.
Twelve former Yellow Jackets played in the NBA in 1999-2000 (Kenny Anderson, Boston; Drew Barry, Atlanta; Jon Barry, Sacramento; Travis Best, Indiana; Matt Geiger, Philadelphia; Dion Glover, Atlanta; Tom Hammonds, Minnesota; Matt Harpring, Orlando; Stephon Marbury, New Jersey; John Salley, L.A. Lakers; Dennis Scott, Vancouver; Fred Vinson, Seattle)
