Darren Collison understands what it takes to play point guard at a high level in college basketball and the NBA.
The 10-year NBA veteran had an All-American career at UCLA from 2005-2009 before being selected by the New Orleans Hornets with the No. 21 pick in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft.
Collison retired from the NBA in 2019 after playing point guard for the Hornets, Pacers, Mavericks, Clippers, and Kings during his career. Collison considered a return to the NBA this season before choosing to remain retired. Now the NBA veteran is focused on preparing a young point guard on his way to a blue blood program with aspirations of playing in the NBA.
Five-star point guard Devin Askew reclassified and signed with Kentucky as part of the Wildcats 2020 signing class last November.
Askew, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound guard, was a star for Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA., where he averaged 17 points, six assists and five rebounds per game last season. He was named Orange County Player of the Year and was selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic.
“Devin is a winner who other players want to play with,” Calipari said at the time of his signing. “He has a team-first mentality and a maturity about him that you won’t find from many kids his age. He can make shots, he creates plays for himself and his teammates, and he is a willing defender with great size and length. Devin embraces the challenge of playing on this stage and has the makeup to be a special player.”
The Coronavirus pandemic has forced public gyms and facilities to close, leaving players to get creative with their workouts. Fortunately, there is a place Askew is working on his game while still practicing social distancing.
“We’re lucky. We’re fortunate to have a guy that has a half-court gym, and he opens it up every day for Devin,” Brian Askew told Go Big Blue Country. He is in there for over an hour every day. Nobody is in there except Darren Collison comes to work him out for an hour every day. Darren makes him take the weekends off, but he gets in the gym Monday through Friday. He gets his quick workout in, and we get out of there and back to the home.”
For Askew, it’s his final spring and summer before arriving at the biggest stage in college basketball, and there’s no better way to prepare than receiving instruction and guidance from a player who not only had success at UCLA but in the NBA.
“He loves it,” Askew said. “You get a 10-year NBA veteran point guard explaining things, watching the film, and putting him through workouts he knows will help him as a point guard.”
After a recent workout with Askew, Collison called Go Big Blue Country to discuss the future Wildcats game and what the two are focusing on improving.
“Me and Devin, we’ve been working with each other for two summers now,” Collison told Go Big Blue Country. “The good thing about Devin is he already had the tools to be an excellent college player, like shooting, ball handling, and playmaking. Playmaking was one of the things about Devin that stood out to me.”
The playmaking was on full display when Askew scored a season-high 43 points in a win over third-seeded Rancho Christian of Temecula in the Open Division playoffs this season. He made 14-of-18 shots in that game with six rebounds and five assists.
“He’s a lot better shooter than a lot of players at that age coming out of high school. When we put him through any shooting drill, he’s able to be efficient at it. His release looks good. He looks like he has a good NBA release, and he’s confident in his shot. His shooting ability is way better than what you will see most freshmen come in at the next level.”
A guard like Askew that can shoot the ball will give Calipari options. He can play on or off the ball if needed.
While Askew already had pieces to his game that would lead to success at Kentucky, there are areas he needs to improve if he wants to take his game to another level. That’s why a fellow point guard is there to assist.
“We’re trying to make his shot a lot quicker,” said Collison. “We know the pace is going to be a lot faster, so we’re trying to make sure he gets his jump shot off faster than he did in high school. Not saying there was anything wrong with it, but obviously, you want to continue to improve and get better. Just focusing on getting stronger, a quicker shot, and continuing to be comfortable shooting from long range. It’s easier because he already has the tools to be good.”
Even with the preparation and instruction from an NBA veteran, Brian Askew knows his son will face adversity at Kentucky because every player that chooses to be a Wildcat does at some point.
“Is it going to be hard on him? Heck yeah. But I want that,” Askew said. “I feel like Cal gets the most out of kids, and they grow up a little quicker than most. I think every kid that goes to Kentucky has the same dream; they want to play in the NBA. Coach is going to prepare them for what they want. The NBA business is no joke, they don’t sit around and pamper you. It’s either you get it done and listen, or you’re out. That’s what we expect about Coach Cal and that whole coaching staff.
“If you’re a taker and you’re going to go there and take advantage of what they provide without feeling sorry for yourself when you hit adversity, then you are fine. Every kid is going to go there and hit adversity. If you just go there and grind, you’ll be fine. Don’t look for excuses; just work your tail off. If they want that, Cal is going to prepare them for what they want.”
Collison recognizes the opportunity Askew has at Kentucky and that Calipari is best known for preparing players for the NBA. He believes Askew is ready to take advantage of the opportunity.
“I think he’s in a unique situation,” said Collison. “Look at all the point guards that have played under Calipari at Kentucky. They’ve all done great things, not just at the collegiate level but in the NBA. He understands a lot will be asked of him, but he wants all of that challenge.”
When asked to describe his son’s game, Brian Askew said, “The ultimate competitor, he will find a way to make himself part of what’s going on and work to win.”
Askew’s willingness to work and passion for the game made it easier to work with Collison, who has never once heard the five-star guard complain.
“Out of all the players I played with or against, he’s one of the hardest-working I’ve been around. There hasn’t been a day he complained about a drill or his body being sore. He comes in, and he has a smile on his face prepared to work. Every drill that I’ve put him through, he goes hard. Those are all the characteristics that I see him being a great player his entire career because he has the work ethic, and he wants to work.”
What can Kentucky fans expect from Askew when he arrives at Kentucky later this year?
“They’re going to get another really good point guard; I’m sure they’re used to that. I think Devin has a chance to be one of the best playmaking guards that Kentucky has had in a while. He wants to make plays. Playmaking is his game. He can score, but at the end of the day, he has a lot of different characteristics that come with scoring. They got a really good point guard coming, and they should be excited.”
Collison is dedicated to his work through Pro’s Vision, an organization he founded to help aspiring young athletes reach their full potential through one on one training, personal mentorship, recovery, and overall knowledge of the game. You can follow Pro’s Vision on Twitter and Instagram, as well as access their website at prosvisionbasketball.com
