Atlanta Hawks’ John Collins Suspended 25 Games For Violating NBA Anti Drug Policy

Well, that wasn’t something we expected to wake up to.

The NBA announced on Tuesday morning that Atlanta Hawks starting small forward John Collins will be suspended for 25 games without pay, effective immediately in tonight’s game between the Hawks and Spurs.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the ruling on the second-year forward and Atlanta’s 2017 first-round pick on twitter and Collins is currently trying to appeal the suspension. It was reported that Collins is being penalized for violating the terms of the NBA’s anti-drug policy by testing positive for the growth hormone known as the Releasing Peptide-2 (GHRP-2).

Collins professed his apology in a formal and official statement:

“First I want to apologize to my teammates, the Hawks organization, our fans, partners and community as a whole for this situation. I understand the impact this matter has on what we are trying to achieve together this season, and I am incredibly frustrated and disappointed in myself for putting all of us in this position. I have always been incredibly careful about what I put in my body, but I took a supplement, which unbeknownst to me, had been contaminated with an illegal component. I plan to appeal my suspension…”

Collins has averaged 17.5 points per game and 8.8 rebounds in the five contests he’s competed in this season. The Atlanta Hawks have slipped to 2-3 after a quick 2-0 start to the season, and Collins’ absence will primarily be felt in transition and on the glass as the Hawks rank 8th across the league in total fastbreak points, a stat that Collins contributed to greatly. He also leads the team in overall offensive rating and total rebounds.

On a more positive note, the Atlanta Hawks get Trae Young back tonight after missing the last two games with an ankle injury, reported earlier in the morning.