Nick Collison
A loyal Thunder cornerstone whose blue-collar work ethic and team-first mentality defined an entire era of Oklahoma City basketball.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American basketball player·Birthday: October 26·Generation X
Biography
Nick Collison’s career is a masterclass in subtle, sustained impact. The Kansas product arrived in Seattle with the 12th pick in 2003, bringing a polished post game and a cerebral understanding of spacing. When the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City, he became the connective tissue between eras, mentoring young stars like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook while embodying the hard-hat identity the new city craved. His stats were never gaudy, but coaches valued his defensive positioning, deft passing, and willingness to set the bone-rattling screen. After retiring in 2018, he seamlessly transitioned into the front office, applying his granular knowledge of the game to player development and strategy, a journey that culminated in an executive role for the 2025 championship team. Collison’s legacy isn’t in highlights; it’s in the respect of peers who saw him as the ultimate professional.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Nick was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Nick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played his entire 15-season NBA career with the same franchise, from its Seattle origins through its Oklahoma City transition.
- Had his jersey number (4) retired by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the first player in the team's OKC era to receive the honor.
- Reached two NCAA Final Fours with the University of Kansas, including a national runner-up finish in 2003.
- Won an NBA championship in 2025 as a member of the Thunder's front office, contributing as a special assistant to the general manager.
Did You Know?
He was a high school teammate of fellow NBA player Kirk Hinrich in Sioux City, Iowa.
Collison and Kevin Durant are the only two players to have their jerseys retired by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He authored a popular and insightful long-form article about the NBA's 'screen assist' for The Players' Tribune.
“I tried to play the right way, be a good teammate, set good screens, pass the ball, defend.”
