The Rise of Collin Sexton Shouldn’t Be Surprising to Anyone

In case you weren’t paying attention, Collin Sexton is a really good basketball player. The third-year Cleveland Cavaliers point guard is having a phenomenal season thus far, averaging career-highs across the board. In all, Sexton is averaging 25.5 points, 4.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 51.7% from the field and 45.8% from deep. All of Sexton’s shooting numbers currently outpace the NBA league averages by a wide margin. Cleveland is 8-8, sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Last week, the Cavs spoiled the Nets’ New Big 3 debut. Then they beat Brooklyn again two days later. In the first game, Collin Sexton scored 42 points to go with five rebounds and five assists in a double-OT victory. In the second game, he tallied 25 points and nine assists.

What’s awesome about Sexton putting the hurt on the Brooklyn Nets is how “full-circle” it is. The 2018 first-round pick that the Cavaliers used to draft Sexton was originally owned by the Nets. It was first traded to the Celtics in 2013 as part of the now-infamous Garnett-Pierce-Allen trade that put Brooklyn in the cellar for years. Boston then traded that same 2018 pick to the Cavaliers to pick up Kyrie Irving, who is now with the Brooklyn Nets.

People Were Quick to Forget Collin Sexton’s Alabama Career

Collin Sexton’s steady rise should come as no surprise to anyone who watched him at Alabama. He was a one-and-done with the Crimson Tide, but that one year was all he needed for one of the greatest individual performances in college basketball history: The 3-on-5 Game.

Back in 2017, Alabama faced off against the No. 14 Minnesota Golden Gophers. After a brawl, the entire Crimson Tide bench was ejected from the game. A foul-out and ankle injury saw Alabama forced to play 3-on-5 with ten minutes left in the contest. In those ten minutes, Alabama outscored Minnesota 30-22 and were within one possession with a minute left. Sexton scored 40 in that game. Almost single-handedly beating a ranked opponent 3-on-5? That’s the “it” factor right there.

You know where The 3-on-5 Game took place? The Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets. Full circle.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are exceeding expectations so far this season, and much of that is thanks to their star point guard. Collin Sexton is legit, and he’s here to stay.

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