Toledo’s Ryan Rollins hopes to join Damian Lillard and Ja Morant as the next great guard to make the leap from a mid-major college to the NBA.
Rollins, who won’t even turn 20 years old until after the draft has concluded on June 23, just averaged 18.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
Maybe he isn’t a top pick like Lillard or Morant, but he has already earned comparisons to solid NBA players who have had long careers, like George Hill.
Eyes popped when I saw these sophomore seasons together.
George Hill, 6’2”, 180lb, 6’9” wingspan: 18.9 PPG on 52/32/80 on 27.7 usage, 6 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Ryan Rollins, 6’4”, 180lb, 6’8” wingspan: 18.9 PPG on 47/31/80 on 28.9 usage, 6 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG https://t.co/EDlYsWjqV2
— Nathaniel Miller (@journalistnate) May 4, 2022
Before being selected in the first round of the 2008 NBA draft, Hill was a mid-major standout at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis. Rollins, like Hill, is a combo guard with a plus wingspan.
Rollins’ draft stock has gained momentum since the season ended, and he recently earned an invitation to the NBA draft combine in Chicago. While he is there, he will have a chance to show teams why they should believe in his game.
Already, we have Rollins as a projected first-round pick in our latest mock draft. However, he will likely rise on the consensus rankings if he performs well during athletic testing and scrimmages while at the combine.
For The Win spoke with Rollins to learn more about his approach and what brought him to this point.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
