Darren Collison: Early Life, Lakers, Wife, Contract & Net Worth

This article was last updated by on

Darren Collison is one of the genuinely respected names in basketball, which is also young and creative.

He’s a former American basketball player who played for teams including the National Basketball Association‘s New Orleans Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Sacramento Kings. 

In Darren’s first season in the NBA with the New Orleans Hornets, he won NBA All-Rookie Team honors.

Darren has an estimated net worth of over $30 million as of 2019. He has raised $43,059,051 for his total career earnings, playing in the NBA for ten seasons.

In addition, Darren is a married man and is currently married to Kenosha Sanders, his wife.

Indiana Pacers guard Darren Collison
Indiana Pacers guard Darren Collison.

Collison played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins for four seasons. He received All-Pac-10 Conference honors three times and won his senior year’s Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award as the best college athlete standing 6 foot (1.8 m) or less. 

He was selected with the 21st overall selection in the 2009 NBA draft by the Hornets in the first round.

Also, for the Indiana Pacers and Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Sacramento Kings, Collison was the leading man.

Darren Collison | Quick Facts

Full Name  Darren Collison 
Date of Birth 1987, August 23
Age 37 years old
Horoscope Virgo
Country U.S.A
Birth Name Darren Michael Collison
Famous Name Darren Collison
Father Dennis Collison
Mother June Collison
Net Worth $10,243,013
Salary $5,229,454
Nationality  American
Ethnicity Black
Currently Married Yes
Married To Keyosha Sanders
Divorce N/A
Children N/A
Affair With Keyosha Sanders
Girlfriend Keyosha Sanders
Social Media Twitter, Instagram
Position Point Guard 
Last Update November, 2024

Darren Collison | Early Life, Family, and Education

Darren Collison was born in Rancho Cucamonga, California, on August 23, 1987. As for Darren’s birth, he is a native American and belongs to the African ethnic community. Additionally, under the star sign Virgo, Collison was born.

He also starred at the University of California & Los Angeles (UCLA) for four years, winning All-American honors in his senior year.

Collison was born to June Griffith and Dennis Collision as their son; they were part of Guyana, all elite track and field athletes.

Collison was named a fourth-team Parade All-American senior at Etiwanda High School under Coach Dave Kleckner.

Likewise, Collison was rated as the No. 16 point guard and the No. 100 player in the country in 2005 as a four-star prospect by Rivals.com.

He went to high school in Etiwanda. He attended UCL, playing from 2005 to 2009, following his high school career.

Darren Collison | Basketball Career

The amazing Collison has played many games and is the best in the business. His track records on the court are just unbelievable; let’s know about his records and career.

Samoa Joe: Early Life, Career, Retired, Relationship & Networth >>

College Career

In the Bruins’ 2005–06 season, he was a reserve to Jordan Farmar, becoming the next season’s starting point guard.

In December 2006, he was awarded the MVP of the Maui Invitational Tournament, and on the 4th of December, 2006, and again on February 18, 2007, he was named the Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Week.

Collison recorded 2.2 steals per game during the 2006-07 season, the most in the Pacific-10 Conference. Darren also averaged 5.7 assists (2nd in the Pac-10) and a 3-point field goal percentage of 444.

For his junior and senior years, Collison returned to UCLA and ended up appearing in 142 games at UCLA, tied for the most ever.

He was selected to the All-Pac-10 team in his senior year in 2008–09 after scoring 4.7 assists,14.4 points, and 1.6 steals per game.

He took the league in free throw percentage and was seventh in assists, steals, and assists-to-turnover ratio.

Collison On the field
Collison On the field

That year, Collison received the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Trophy, awarded to the best player in college with 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) or shorter. He was also named co-Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Bruins with Josh Shipp.

Likewise, Collison and fellow senior teammates Shipp and Alfred Aboya completed their careers with 123 wins as the winning class in UCLA history.

The distinction was subjective, as John W W Aboya and Alfred Aboya completed their careers as the winning class in UCLA history.

Professional Career

2009-2010 season

In the NBA Draft of 2009 by the New Orleans Hornets, Collison was selected with the 21st overall selection.

For the NBA Rookie of the Year voting program, he placed 4th. He averaged 18.8 points and 9.1 assists in his first NBA season in 37 games.

Collison became the first rookie during the 2009-10 season to get a triple-double. He is a member of the 2010-11 New Orleans Pelicans NBA All-Star team.

2010-2012 season

On August 11, 2010, a four-team, five-player transaction sent Troy Murphy to the New Jersey Nets, Courtney Lee to the Houston Rockets, Trevor Ariza to the New Orleans Hornets, and the Hornets traded Collison and James Posey to the Indiana Pacers.

2012-2013 season

Collison and Dahntay Jones were traded for Ian Mahinmi to the Dallas Mavericks on July 12, 2012. Collison became the starting point guard for the Mavericks, replacing Jason Kidd, who left as a free agent.

Collison was a crucial player in Dallas’ 4-1 start in 2012-13, but he struggled as they dropped 8 of their next 11. Collison came off as a substitute from the bench for one game after playing the team’s first 14 games.

He missed a few of his next games with a sprained right middle finger, leading Dallas to sign Derek Fisher. Fisher played in his first game with the Mavericks while Collison remained a reserve.

Geoff Neal: Career, Health, Personal Life, UFC & Net Worth >>

2013-2014 season

Collison reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers on July 10, 2013.
He backed up Chris Paul again, who was also on the Clippers.

Collison began when Paul was out of 18 games with a broken shoulder and surprisingly averaged 6.5 assists and 13.5 points in 32.6 minutes.

In that time, the Clippers went 12-6, and coach Doc Rivers said the team “weathered the storm” without their All-Star point guard; he called Collison’s performance “the key.”

Collison Sprinting
Collison Sprinting

The Clippers reversed a 22-point deficit to level the series at 2-2 in Game Four of the 2nd round of the NBA Playoffs in 2014 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Collison scored 12 of his 18 points in the final quarter to help the leadership team.

2014-2017 season

Collison signed a three-year, $16 million contract with the Sacramento Kings on July 12, 2014. The Kings gave him a starting point guard job, and the Clippers could not meet the deal or the time of play.

Collison had a season-best game of 27 points and ten assists in a 135-129 overtime victory over the New York Knicks on December 27, 2014.

You can watch some of Darren’s best plays right here >>

He was ruled out with a right hip flexor for three to six weeks on February 26, 2015.

However, Collison was suspended for the first eight games of the 2016-17 season after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence.

2017-2019 season

Collison signed with the Indiana Pacers on July 7, 2017, returning to the second stint team. In early February 2018, he underwent knee surgery, returning to the Pacers’ lineup in mid-March.

Moreover, Collison missed two or three weeks of his field days because of the injury and following procedure. 

He led the league with a 47 percent 3-point average career-best in 2017-18 after steadily developing his three-point shooting throughout his career.

Darren Hyping up
Darren Hyping up

On December 10, 2018, Collison had 17 assists in a 109-101 victory over the Washington Wizards, his best single-game total with Indiana.

He finally finished the 2018-19 season with an average of 11 points and six assists.

Collison sadly announced his retirement from the NBA on June 28, 2019. He cited religious grounds for retiring as a Jehovah’s Witness.

Darren said, and we quote, 

“I am one of the Jehovah’s witnesses and my faith means everything to me.”

The former NBA player also added that he enjoys immense joy from volunteering and helping others unmatched. 

Similarly, he was supposed to draw multiple contract offers for around $10 million per season.

Darren Collison | Career Stats 

Year GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Career 711 518 29.3 .471 .394 .853 2.7 5.0 1.2 .1 12.5

Is Darren Collison married? Know about his wife

Darren is a married man, and his wife, Keyosha Sanders, is currently enjoying a smooth marital partnership. The pair exchanged their marriage vows on August 20, 2011.

As he has not shielded his personal life from the media, Darren is not a private citizen.

One can clearly understand his wife, family life, and kids. Darren’s personal life is, however, as far as his work.

They have some blissful moments together as well. They made the marriage decision after they had a proper understanding. Together, the couple shares a son.

You might also like Aaron Rodgers: Net Worth, Girlfriend, Stats & Contract >>

Darren Collison | Net Worth, Salary, and Income 

Depending on various figures, the player’s yearly earnings will vary from a few thousand dollars to millions.

A small contingent of all players with D-league crossover contracts earns as little as $50,000, while most professional NBA players collect a salary of almost $2 million.

The salary cap for NBA players is almost $100 million, but no one is pulling in anywhere near that figure today.

In the season, the best players receive about $35 million. Outside of the NBA, wages for minor league teams will drop below $20,000 annually.

The salary of Darren Collison in 2018 was $10 million. In 2019, Collison’s deal stipulated wages of $10 million.

So what is the net worth of basketball player Darren Collison? Our projection for Net Worth’s Darren Collison is $18 million.

Darren Collison | Contracts and Earnings

  • On July 7, 2009, a 2-year $2.6 million deal was signed with New Orleans (NOH)
  • For 2011-2012, Indiana (IND) exercised a $1.45 million option on OCT 18 2010 2010
  • On JUN 24, 2011, Indiana (IND) exercised the $2.31 million option for 2012-2013
  • Dallas (DAL) reduced its qualifying bid to $3.34 million; on JUN 30, 2013, he became an Unrestricted Free Agent.
  • A $3.89 million 2-year extension was signed on JUL 10, 2013, with Los Angeles (LAC)
  • Los Angeles (LAC) option rejected $1.99 million; becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent on MAY 29, 2014
  • A $20 million 2-year extension with Indiana (IND) was signed on JUL 7, 2017

Darren Collison | Social Media Presence

You can either follow him on Instagram or Twitter. With great strength and agility on the pitch and as loved by all his fans, he likes to get in touch with them and posts quite often.

If you want to know where this athlete is, it’s always Instagram you should follow him on, but if you are a basketball enthusiast, make sure to follow him on Twitter.

He is a low-key person but keeps updating his fans through social media and enjoys social media fame.

To know more about Collison, stay tuned to us and keep reading; we will update you on everything once we have the correct information.

Darren Collison | FAQs

Why did Darren Collison retire?

Darren Collison retired, citing religious reasons. 

What is Darren Collison’s wingspan?

The basketballer’s wingspan is 6′ 3”. 

Which is Darren Collison’s current team?

The Los Angeles Lakers are Collison’s current team. 

Where did Darren Collison go to college?

Collison went to the University of California, Los Angeles. 

Aaditya Bhatta
Aaditya Bhatta

Aaditya Bhatta

Aaditya Bhatta is a dynamic writer and sports enthusiast, whose passion for both realms is reflected in his work. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for storytelling, Aaditya brings a unique perspective to his writing, captivating readers with his engaging content.

Expertise:

Sports Analysis Content Creation

Highlights

  • Aaditya has consistently delivered insightful analysis and captivating content across various platforms.
  • From in-depth match reports to thought-provoking opinion pieces, Aaditya's versatility shines through in his ability to tackle diverse topics

Experience

Aaditya's journey as a writer and sports aficionado began at a young age when he discovered his passion for both pursuits. Throughout his academic and professional endeavors, Aaditya has honed his skills in content creation and sports analysis, immersing himself in the intricacies of the games he loves.

Related articles

Comments

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Share article

Latest News