‘It was a blessing being here,’ Zaon Collins says after playing UNLV
UNLV basketball fans haven’t forgotten Zaon Collins.
The former Bishop Gorman High star committed to play at UNLV in 2020. Days removed from the four-year anniversary of the car crash that killed a Las Vegas man and changed everything for Collins, he played Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center for the first time in his collegiate career.
The game resulted in an 87-77 win for UNLV (7-5) in its Mountain West opener, but Collins was surrounded by family members and fans once he showered and returned to the court.
“It was a blessing being here; I was supposed to play here,” said Collins, whose scholarship was revoked by UNLV after the crash. “All of the community came out to support …”
Fittingly, his answer was interrupted by two older fans who were eager to greet him. “How are you doing?” Collins asked.
“Good, I wish you were playing with us,” one fan answered.
Collins took a moment to take the exchange in, saying he didn’t take any aspect of the experience lightly, from making his family “proud” to turning his story around for himself.
“All the work I had to put in,” Collins said as the interview resumed. “I had a little setback and had to come back and be able to get this chance to play. It means a lot to me, and I’m only gonna go up from here. I got to just keep working and keep staying prayed up.”
Spent 56 days in jail
Collins’ Dodge Challenger struck Eric Echevarria’s Hyundai Accent on the afternoon of Dec. 30, 2020, near Fort Apache Road and Blue Diamond Road.
The Metropolitan Police Department said Echevarria, 52, was attempting to make a left turn before Collins hit him. Investigators stated Collins was driving approximately 90 mph in a 35 mph zone, while blood tests indicated he was impaired on marijuana.
He pleaded guilty in June 2023 to a felony charge of reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm. He spent 56 days in jail.
Collins played at Salt Lake Community College last season. He entered Saturday’s matchup as Fresno State’s leading scorer at 13.4 points per game.
But it was UNLV point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. who starred with 21 points. Jailen Bedford added 15.
Guard Jasir Tremble had 19 points for the Bulldogs (4-9), but all eyes were on Collins, who recorded seven points and seven assists.
“It’s huge for us, getting out to a good start,” Jaden Henley said. “The whole team has a lot of confidence in being able to win the conference and get to the tournament. That’s the main goal. So, let’s start 1-0.”
Happy for Collins
UNLV led 48-30 at halftime after shooting 65 percent and holding Fresno State to 38 percent.
But five minutes into the second half, the lead was cut to 10 points after a 13-2 run from the Bulldogs. The margin became 56-52 after Fresno State made three interrupted 3-pointers.
“We were just way too timid coming out in that second half. We didn’t have the level of aggression we needed,” UNLV coach Kevin Kruger said. “We did not go out there like it was 0-0.”
Collins was called for a technical foul on a dead-ball play that put the Rebels up 60-52 after the free throw shots. They then pulled away.
Kruger was an assistant coach when UNLV recruited Collins. He had positive words for him after the win.
“Happy to see him play,” Kruger said. “He’s a good basketball player. He’s a great kid. I had the opportunity to be a part of recruiting him and his family. He’s somebody who’s going to have a lot of good basketball in front of him.”
Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.
