LOS ANGELES Clippers point guard Darren Collison could represent Guyana at this year’s CBC Championships in Tortola, according to a reliable source close to the former UCLA standout, providing that the player could get the “go-ahead” from his bosses. 

“Darren has always been open to helping out the country of his parents. He believes that it would a good way of giving back to Guyana through the sport he loves,” the source told the Guyana Chronicle in an exclusive interview.
President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) Nigel Hinds said he had reached out to the former Charlotte Hornets player but at the time, Collison was tied up in trying to get his team past the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Play-Offs Western Conference Semi-Finals.
But the source also pointed out that they’re a number of things that need to be taken into consideration, including his NBA insurance and if the Clippers would allow him to participate.
In July of 2013, Los Angeles Clippers had signed Collison to a two-year deal with the point guard earning US$1.9M for the first year and became an unrestricted free agent after the Dallas Mavericks declined to offer him a US$4.5M contract, demoting him to a backup role behind Derek Fisher and Mike James.
After a fantastic rookie season playing alongside Chris Paul at the Charlotte Hornets, Collison was traded to the Indiana Pacers and lost his starting job to George Hill but has since been one of coach Doc Rivers’ go-to guys especially when Paul was injured.
But with the Clippers having to deal with the Donald Sterling saga, according to the source, Collison has a lot to think of administratively before donning the colours of the Golden Arrowhead.
“Based on the happenings of the NBA versus Donald Sterling saga, the Clippers administration would first want to try and keep their coach and other players who can opt out of their contract and exit. So presently, though for him, his season is over, there’s a lot going on that he has to focus on with his team to make the best possible decision,” the source said.
“The thing is he doesn’t only want to play,” the source said, “He actually wants to probably have a leg of his summer camp in Guyana. Getting the right set of people to work along with has also been an issue, but I must say that he has been raised on Guyanese principles thanks to his parents, visited whenever his busy basketball schedule allowed and is very close to a few of his family living in Guyana.”
The GABF president also mentioned that they will move ahead and include Collison in their shortlisted squad which will be made public after the conclusion of the ongoing Inter-Association Championships.
Collison is eligible to play for Guyana through his parents Dennis Collison and June Griffith; both of whom would have represented their country in track and field internationally.

(By Rawle Toney)