Continued: Wolves: Collins' painful wait is nearly over

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SEASON OPENER: WOLVES VS. SACRAMENTO

7 p.m. Wednesday • Target Center • TV: Ch. 45 (1130-AM)

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Though he missed all but eight games combined in his freshman and sophomore seasons at Stanford because of injuries to his knee and wrist, Jason Collins made his final two seasons there count. He blocked 86 shots and collected 455 rebounds, while shooting 61.8 percent from the floor. As a senior in 2000-01, he earned honorable mention All-America honors in addition to first-team all-Pac 10.

Now deep into his NBA career, he's back on the shelf, this time following elbow surgery Sept. 8. All this time later, he's hoping again to bounce back with a vengeance, even if it's as a veteran reserve on a new team.

"Anytime anyone has an injury that takes them away from doing something they love to do, at times it's frustrating," said Collins, who was sent to the Timberwolves from Memphis this summer as part of the draft night trade between the teams. "But right now, all I can do is conditioning, rehabbing [and] learn the plays as much as I can so that when I am ready to go full contact it's not a huge leap."

Collins, a 7-foot, 250-pound center, has only been able to participate in non-contact drills since Minnesota opened training camp Sept. 30. He's expected to practice fully beginning next week, which will be a blessing to a team in big need of some size in the lineup.

"He's probably the biggest body we've got out there to put some wood on guys," said Craig Smith, a 6-7, 250 pounder who has been the most physical Wolves player during the preseason. "We're getting to the point where I think we can win a lot more games, and he can definitely add that leadership and wisdom out there on the floor."

Entering his eighth NBA season, Collins has played at least 74 games every year. He's been in playoff situations foreign to most of his new teammates, including trips the NBA Finals his first two seasons with New Jersey in 2002 and 2003.

Coach Randy Wittman declined to speculate too much on Collins' eventual role, only because he hasn't seen how he reacts to coaching in live situations. Wittman quipped that, even 16 years after he last played in an NBA game, even he could still look good not having to guard anybody.

But Collins does carry a reputation, and Wittman is aware.

"I think he can help us, no question," Wittman said. "His size, his experience. He's started; he's come off the bench."

And those playoff runs with the Nets?

"That's huge," Wittman said. "Being out on that floor during that kind of situation is invaluable."

Making shot after shot from about 13 feet out after a recent practice, it's clear Collins' elbow is feeling fine. In time, he will get back into game situations. He knows patience is all part of the process.

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