TPA’s Collum Receives Pittsburgh Offer
Following a 25-point, 10-rebound performance during an eyeball toyeball matchup with Michigan-commit Ignas Brazdeikis razdeikiss, Tennessee Prep Academy’s 6-foot-8, 215-pound point guard Antavion Collum has picked up an offer from Pittsburgh.
The Class of 2019 Collum, a quickly rising point guard/wing, is on the verge of a breakout year. A performance of this magnitude, against a high-profile recruit of Brazdeikis’ type, should continue to propel his high-major stock.
A question many fans across Memphis have been asking this winter is simply, “how did Penny let (Collum) go?”
“Penny” is of course in reference to Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway, the former NBA great and current coach of Collum’s former team, Memphis East.
Collum valued his experience playing under Hardaway and sustains a tight bond with Hardaway’s son, Jayden Hardaway (now at IMG Academy in Florida as a post-graduate).
Yet the opportunity to play the point (as opposed to the four) and utilize his mismatch capabilities at Tennessee Prep Academy program in Memphis came calling this summer. Collum jumped at it.
A physical defender who can guard the 1-5 and is as effective a rebounder as any big, Collum has established himself as a walking double-double threat.
His handle and an ability to dissect defenses off the dribble enable him to score the ball in a variety of ways. Collum possesses an adeptness at finishing in crafty fashion with either hand through traffic.
In addition, he’s got a knack for using the backboard and can pull off an array of floaters, pull-ups, and nifty angle bank shots.
A consistent deep jumper, which he’s in the process of establishing, would cement his status as one of the nation’s toughest matchups.
Stoked with confidence as a ball handler and decision maker under heightened pressure, Collum has the potential to be a program-changer at the ensuing level. He’s still under-appreciated on the recruiting market, though he’s currently sifting through a handful of offers.
Florida, Memphis, Maryland, Kansas State, Murray State, Northern Illinois, North Texas, Middle Tennessee State, Cal State Bakersfield, and others have plunked down an offer for the big, multi-dimensional guard.