Jason Collier

Jason Collier, Mgt 03, a basketball player at Georgia Tech before being drafted into the NBA in 2000, died Oct. 15. He was 28.

The Atlanta Hawks center reportedly awoke in the middle of the night experiencing shortness of breath. His wife called paramedics and performed CPR, but Mr. Collier was dead before the ambulance arrived at the hospital. In addition to his wife, Katie, he leaves behind a 1-year-old daughter. Other survivors include his mother and father, Jeff Collier, IM 76, who played basketball at Tech from 1972 to 1976.

Former Tech coach Bobby Cremins recruited Mr. Collier, who chose to wear number 52 like his father when he joined the Yellow Jackets, and called him "a wonderful young man."

Athletics director Dave Braine got to know Mr. Collier when he played at Tech. "What a great young man and a great representative of Georgia Tech. He overcame a lot to make it in the NBA and had a bright future ahead of him," he said.

Mr. Collier, a 7-foot-tall Ohio native, played for the Yellow Jackets from 1998 to 2000 after transferring from Indiana. Despite embarking on an NBA career, he returned to the Institute to earn his management degree.

"He's the type of guy you wish would play in the NBA for 10 years because he's a professional and is a good role model. That’s the type of person you want in the NBA and the type of person you want at Georgia Tech," said Willie Reese, Tech's current director of basketball operations and an assistant coach during Mr. Collier's last season with the Jackets.

Current Tech coach Paul Hewitt also knew Mr. Collier and said, "I'm sure everyone would agree that Jason was a class man."

A McDonald's All-American in high school, Mr. Collier led Central Catholic in Springfield, Ohio, to the Division IV state title in 1996. He earned second-team All-ACC honors both years with the Yellow Jackets. He was the 15th overall pick in the NBA draft and played for the Houston Rockets before signing to play for the Atlanta Hawks prior to the 2003-04 season.

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