Former Kentucky men’s basketball player Daimion Collins was cleared for basketball related activities today, per CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein.
Collins, who transferred to LSU in 2023, played two seasons in Lexington as a five-star prospect for former head coach John Calipari.
Hailing out of Atlanta, Texas, as a five-star prospect out of Atlanta High School, Collins committed to Kentucky to play for Calipari in a class that contained the likes of Providence star Bryce Hopkins and Phoenix Suns G-Leaguer TyTy Washington Jr.
The squad also saw significant incoming transfers in the forms of former Iowa Hawkeye CJ Fredrick, Washington Husky Sahvir Wheeler, Davidson star Kellan Grady and reigning NBA G League Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe.
The year would also be famous for the fiasco relating to Class of 2022 star Shaedon Sharpe, who reclassified to join the squad, never played a game and was drafted in the lottery by the Portland Trail Blazers.
In his first year in Lexington, Collins started in one game and averaged 2.9 points per game with two rebounds.
Returning for his sophomore year to join the likes of star freshmen Cason Wallace and Chris Livingston, expectations were high for the young Collins before the tragic passing of his father just prior to the start of the season.
With off the court difficulties making basketball take a back seat, Collins was unable to take that leap initially anticipated for him, finishing the season with 1.9 points per game and 1.9 rebounds.
With the offseason opening the transfer portal, few were surprised to see Collins insert his name, with the big man wanting to move closer to home following the family tragedy.
Committing to LSU, things wouldn’t get much easier for Collins, who would suffer an injury that would limit him to just six games in Baton Rouge. He averaged 4.3 points per game and 2.2 rebounds in those six contests.
With the 2024-25 season looming, good news has finally come Collins’ way as he was cleared to return to all basketball related activities, with hope of a strong senior season being made possible for the former five-star.
Collins and the LSU Tigers will get back at it on Tuesday, Oct. 29, from the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in an exhibition against Loyola of New Orleans.
As for Kentucky, the Wildcats, now led by Mark Pope, will return to action on Friday, Oct. 11, for the 2024 Big Blue Madness event hosted in Rupp Arena.
