Kentucky forward Daimion Collins has entered the college basketball transfer portal after spending two seasons with the Wildcats.
Collins -- a 6-foot-9 sophomore from Atlanta, Texas -- was a McDonald's All-American and the No. 16 overall prospect in the 2021 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, and he arrived in Lexington two years ago projected as a possible one-and-done lottery pick for the 2022 NBA Draft.
His freshman season featured a few highlight plays along the way but was largely underwhelming. Collins ultimately averaged 2.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.7 blocked shots in 7.5 minutes per game, playing behind Keion Brooks Jr. and Jacob Toppin at the "4" position, with national player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe getting the bulk of minutes at the "5" spot.
Even with Tshiebwe and Toppin back on the roster this past season, Collins was seemingly in line for a breakout sophomore year for the Wildcats, with a standout performance during UK's Pro Day event in front of NBA scouts in October heightening those expectations.
Not long after that, Collins' father, Ben, died unexpectedly while visiting his son in Lexington, just a few days before the start of the 2022-23 season. He was 43 years old.
Collins spent time traveling between Kentucky and Texas over the next couple of weeks and didn't make his debut until UK's third game of the season. John Calipari later revealed that Collins, who turned 20 years old just four days before his father's death, lost more than 15 pounds off his already thin frame while dealing with the grief over his loss.
He played sparingly -- relative to preseason expectations -- and ultimately didn't see the court for more than eight minutes in any game over the final two months of the season. Collins scored seven points in a loss to Arkansas on Feb. 7, his highest total of his sophomore year.
The following week, UK assistant coach Chin Coleman talked about the difficult circumstances Collins faced while trying to return to the court.
"Some of these guys got a hard job, man. Having DNPs for several games and then being ready and available when your number is called is difficult," Coleman said. "That's not an easy thing. That's one of the hardest jobs in this business, whether you're a professional or in college. It's a hard job. And, so, give a lot of credit to Daimion, who's kept the right spirit. Because your mind's gotta be right in order for your game to be right. You can't impact the game unless you have a good mindset. So for him to come in a few games that he's been able to play in and give us some positives has been huge.
"And I think that Daimion has been in really, really good spirits -- really good with understanding that he's had some setbacks in dealing with his personal issues, and if he was to get the opportunity to play then he was going to try to give us what he can. And he's done a good job with it."
Collins ended up with two rebounds and a steal in seven scoreless but productive minutes off the bench during Kentucky's victory over Providence in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The following day, Calipari spoke on Collins' turbulent season.
"He has been a pleasure, and it's been one of the high points of me coaching this season -- seeing him come back from what he had to do," he said. "... I mean, it just was a rough time for him. He lost 17 pounds. Now you see him smiling ... those are the things that are most satisfying.
"Yeah, I want to win every game I coach. If you know me, you know that's how I am. I want to win every game I coach, but that is like a big 'team' win what's happened for him."
Calipari expressed his support for Collins following Friday's announcement that the sophomore forward would be going into the transfer portal. The UK coach also said that Collins' grandfather had died recently.
"Daimion Collins had a year I wouldn't wish on anyone and has been through more than any player should, including losing his grandfather in the last week," Calipari said. "He's a talented player and a good person with a bright future. (Daimion) and his family know that I'll always be here for them."
Collins ended up averaging 1.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.4 blocks in 7.9 minutes per game this past season, with nine DNPs. He will have two seasons of college eligibility remaining.
"In the last two years, I have encountered so many amazing people and had some incredible memories that I will cherish a lifetime," Collins said Friday morning. "To my teammates, thank you for the strong bond and brotherhood. We challenged and supported each other every day, and it actually made us better. I'm forever grateful for the valuable experiences we shared together. I want to take a moment to thank Coach Cal and staff for giving me the opportunity to represent BBN and continue my growth as a young man.