Isaiah Collier is starting to turn heads in Utah-and Tuesday night was a loud statement.
The second-year guard out of USC delivered a performance that didn’t just pop off the stat sheet, it told a story of growth, adaptability, and rising confidence. In the Jazz’s win over the Indiana Pacers, Collier logged 48 minutes and dished out a career-high 22 assists to go along with 17 points and 3 steals.
That assist total isn’t just eye-catching-it’s elite. And it’s the kind of number that changes how a franchise views a young player’s ceiling.
What’s most impressive about Collier’s night isn’t just the raw numbers. It’s how he controlled the pace, read the defense, and consistently put his teammates in position to score. He looked like a floor general who’s been doing this for years, not a second-year guard still trying to carve out consistent minutes in the rotation.
But this wasn’t a one-off. Collier’s been trending upward all season.
He’s averaging 6.7 assists per game, with five double-digit assist performances already under his belt and 19 games where he’s recorded at least eight. That kind of consistency in playmaking, especially from a player who hasn’t always been in the starting lineup, is a major development for a Jazz team building around a young core.
Whenever Keyonte George has been sidelined, Collier has stepped in and delivered. Not just filling in, but thriving-giving the Jazz every reason to trust him with the keys to the offense when needed. He’s not just holding things down; he’s elevating the team when he’s on the floor.
What makes Collier’s evolution even more compelling is how he’s shifted his game from what we saw at USC. Back then, he was known primarily as a scorer-averaging 16.3 points and 4.3 assists per game.
Now, he’s embracing the role of a facilitator, and doing it at a high level. That kind of transition isn’t easy.
It takes basketball IQ, self-awareness, and a willingness to adapt for the good of the team. Collier’s showing he has all three.
The Jazz, meanwhile, are quietly building something intriguing. After swinging a deal for Jaren Jackson Jr., Utah’s front office has made it clear they’re not just stockpiling talent-they’re trying to compete. And while the future draft outlook remains promising, performances like Collier’s are giving the organization more immediate reasons to believe in the group they’ve assembled.
With Collier orchestrating the offense, the Jazz look sharper, more cohesive, and more dangerous. He’s giving them a spark, a rhythm, and a sense of direction-qualities that are invaluable for a young team trying to find its identity in the Western Conference.
The Jazz’s future is still unfolding, but Collier’s emergence is one of the most encouraging signs yet. He’s proving that he belongs, and he’s doing it by leaning into what the team needs most from him: elite-level playmaking, poise under pressure, and a feel for the game that’s well beyond his years.
In short, Isaiah Collier is making his presence felt-and Utah is better for it.