How USC-bound Christian Collins uplifts: ‘I want to inspire others’

The text messages motivate Christian Collins to keep inspiring others.

One told the USC-bound forward about three family members battling cystic fibrosis — the same disease afflicting him.

“The fact that they all have it, it’s sad to hear,” Collins told The California Post on Friday, “but also the fact that I’m inspiring him to keep going with his family and things like that, it was great.”

The five-star prospect from St. John Bosco High in Bellflower regularly receives messages from those who have a more severe form of the genetic condition. His is so mild that he said it doesn’t impact him on the basketball court.

“I kind of sometimes forget I have it, to be honest,” Collins said, “because I don’t like to make it something where it’s kind of like an excuse. So I just keep performing the way I’m performing, and I don’t even worry about it too much, to be honest.”

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

Watching Collins compete reveals no sign of a condition that can cause chronic coughing, wheezing and lung infections, among other symptoms. At 6 feet 8, he’s an explosive wing player who is part of a heralded freshman class that also includes 7-foot twins Adonis and Darius Ratliff, the sons of former NBA All-Star Theo Ratliff.

All three players converged on El Camino College in Torrance on Friday to play in the Jordan Brand Classic. For perhaps one of the last times, they would be on opposite teams before uniting on campus this summer.

“I was definitely excited for that,” Collins said, “two 7-foot twins that can shoot, can post up, can rebound — it’s a great thing to see and a great thing to have on your team.”

Collins will have his own family member on the roster; he’s cousins with guard K.J. Lewis, who is transferring in from Georgetown after spending the previous two seasons at Arizona. Collins didn’t participate in Lewis’ recruitment because he didn’t know Lewis was considering becoming a Trojan.

“I was excited,” Collins said of his reaction when he found out his cousin would join him at USC. “I texted him and he texted me, and we were just talking about it and whatnot.”

There’s excitement among the newcomers about achieving a breakthrough after the Trojans failed to make the NCAA Tournament in coach Eric Musselman’s first two seasons.

Leading scorer Rodney Rice is returning after being limited to only a handful of games last season because of a shoulder injury. Guard Alijah Arenas and forward Jacob Cofie could return as well, and the Trojans are pursuing additional transfers.

“A lot of people think that we’re not going to be that great,” Collins said, “but I’m excited to show everybody what we’re going to do.”

Collins could help make the Galen Center a place that opponents dread again after they mostly made themselves at home last season. He should immediately be a fan favorite after picking USC over college basketball blue bloods Kentucky and Louisville.

Collins willingly talks about having a condition for which there is no cure. He said he undergoes occasional treatments, calling it a “blessing” that he doesn’t require daily management.

Being a high-level athlete also means he has not developed the exercise intolerance suffered by others with the disorder. Collins said he’s grateful for the opportunity to play major college basketball given everything he’s been through.

If he ever needs a reminder of how much he’s helping others just by playing a game he loves, all he has to do is check his text messages.

“It’s great to see,” Collins said, “because I want to inspire others who have it and people who have other diseases as well, to know that anything is possible.”

Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com