This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Jarron Collins' advice to Golden State center JaVale McGee came straight from the Jerry Sloan book of homespun basketball sayings: "Don't shoot the decoys."
McGee just looked at the Warriors assistant coach with a puzzled expression. Collins explained he wanted McGee to avoid reacting to opponents' pump-fakes.
Collins also finds himself quoting his old Jazz coaches in staff meetings, and their influence on him will continue through the NBA Finals. The responsibilities of Golden State's assistants have increased during the playoffs with coach Steve Kerr sidelined by complications from back surgery. Judging by the Warriors' 12-0 postseason record, the temporary staffing arrangement is working.
"The staff has helped out tremendously. … Everybody has kind of pitched in to help keep us heading in the right direction," acting coach Mike Brown said during the Jazz-Warriors series in the Western Conference semifinals.
Collins is doing his part, just as he always did for eight seasons as a Jazz center. He's well remembered by teammates and coaches, who appreciated him beyond his 4.3-point scoring average in 480 games from 2001 to 2009. That's why he was No. 41 in The Salt Lake Tribune's all-time rankings of New Orleans/Utah Jazz players in '09 and would remain solidly inside of the top 50 on an updated list.
Collins started 68 games during his rookie year alongside Karl Malone and John Stockton and played in all 82 regular-season games in 2006-07, the only time this century when the Jazz reached the Western Conference finals.
Phil Johnson, a Jazz assistant coach during Collins' tenure, recently described the Stanford alumnus as "very, very intelligent" and a player with "great understanding of who he is and what he can do."
Collins often would tell Johnson, "You're old-school."
Johnson would respond, "Yeah, and I like it."
With the Warriors staff, "He fits in," Johnson said. "That's how he was as a player."
Collins struck Johnson more as someone who would pursue a business career after basketball, rather than coaching, but he wanted to stick with this game. He worked as a scout for the Los Angeles Clippers and broadcasted games in the Pac-12, Mountain West and West Coast Conference.
Kerr offered him a job as a player development coach in 2014 and promoted him to assistant coach a year later, so Collins has been involved in three phenomenal seasons leading to NBA Finals appearances with the Warriors — with and without Kerr. Collins helped Luke Walton go 39-4 to start the 2015-16 season and is instrumental in their playoff success this spring.
The coaching profession is not as easy as Golden State's roster makes his job seem, but Collins is thriving in Oakland.
"I love the teaching aspect of it, and I've really found the passion of being a coach," he said after a practice during the series with the Jazz. Kerr has done "a fantastic job of empowering not only the players, but the coaches themselves. A lot of it is a cooperative effort. We all do player development, we all do strategy — offense and defense."
The Warriors dominate at both ends of the court. They share the ball and play unselfishly in following the model of the Jazz's best teams, which Collins appreciates. "We're playing the right way," he said.
And they've been winning like crazy ever since he joined them.
"We've got great players," Collins said. "No secret here. You've got to have horses to win the race, and we've got some horses that can run."
Twitter: @tribkurt —
Former Jazzmen coaches
Jarron Collins is among 14 former Utah Jazz players currently coaching in college basketball or the NBA.
Player • Jazz years • School/team • Position
Tony Brown • 1990-91 • Wizards • Asst. coach
Jarron Collins • 2001-09 • Warriors • Asst. coach
Tyrone Corbin • 1991-94 • Suns • Asst. coach
Howard Eisley • 1995-2000, '04-05 • Knicks • Asst. coach
Greg Foster • 1995-99 • Bucks • Asst. coach
Jeff Hornacek • 1994-2000 • Knicks • Head coach
Jeff Judkins • 1990-91 • BYU • Women's head coach
Larry Krystkowiak • 1992-93 • Utah • Head coach
Mehmet Okur • 2004-11 • Suns • Player development coach
Scott Padgett • 1999-2003 • Samford • Head coach
Roger Powell Jr. • 2006-07 • Vanderbilt • Assoc. coach
Felton Spencer • 1993-96 • Bellarmine • Head coach
Jacque Vaughn • 1997-01 • Nets • Asst. coach
Earl Watson • 2010-13 • Suns • Head coach