Nick Collison Earns NBA Championship After Long Career with Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Former player Nick Collison is now an NBA champion after his team clinched the title in a thrilling seven-game series. Collison, who played for the Thunder for 10 years, continues to contribute to the franchise as a special assistant to Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Collison stepped into his current role in August 2021, focusing on both short-term and long-term projects in Thunder basketball operations. Before becoming a special assistant, he represented the team in basketball operations for two seasons.

He remains significant in Thunder history, being the first and only player to have his jersey retired by the franchise. Collison’s commitment to the Thunder began when he was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics with the 12th overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. He played his entire career with the team, totaling 15 seasons.

During his time, he appeared in 910 regular season games, averaging 5.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game. Upon retirement in May 2018, Collison ranked fourth in Thunder history for assists (638) and blocks (258), fifth for rebounds (2,561), and sixth for steals (296) and points (2,846).

Before joining the NBA, Collison was a standout player at the University of Kansas. In the 2002-03 season, he earned the Big 12 Player of the Year title and was named a First Team All-American, leading the Jayhawks to the Final Four, where they finished as national runners-up. He concluded his college career as the Big 12’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder.

His impressive college achievements led to the retirement of his No. 4 jersey just six months after he graduated, on Nov. 25, 2003. Now, as a new NBA champion, Collison’s legacy continues to grow, solidifying his place as one of the most beloved players in both Thunder and Kansas basketball history.