KANSAS CITY — Frankie Collins earned a reputation as a defensive dynamo and did it in an Arizona State uniform the past two seasons. This season, he’ll be doing it for the TCU Horned Frogs.
The popular point guard hit the transfer portal after last season and narrowed his other choices to San Diego State, SMU and California before choosing an ASU conference rival. He didn’t rule out a return to Tempe then but liked his visit to Fort Worth and opted for TCU.
Collins, 22, was part of Big 12 Media Day Wednesday at T-Mobile Center. He went from promotional photo shoots to interviews donning the purple and white of the Horned Frogs.
Collins got a chance to catch up with his former coach Bobby Hurley as well as former teammate Adam Miller. He said he enjoyed his days in Tempe and was back in Arizona recently.
Collins said his decision to leave was more about the roster turnover and not knowing what other talent he would have around.
“Once I got there (TCU), they forced my hand,” he said. “I liked it and I thought it was the best place for me at that time. But I’ll always remember my two years at ASU.”
Collins tallied 84 steals, breaking the school’s 40-year-old, single-season mark of 76 set by Fat Lever. That total was 16 more than the second-place finisher in the Pac-12, USC’s Kobe Johnson.
Collins earned first-team Pac-12 All-Defensive honors, leading the conference in steals and finishing among the top nine players nationally in steals and steals per game. He improved from 9.7 points per game as a sophomore to 13.8 the past season. He also averaged 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists. His season-best of 25 points came in a game at California.
And yes, ASU will be playing TCU this season now that it has moved to the Big 12. The teams play only once, on Feb. 15 at Desert Financial Arena.
“I wonder if they’re going to boo me,” he said. “I hope not.”
This is Collins’ last college season. Before two seasons in Tempe, he played at Michigan.
