Nick Collison Joins Thunder Front Office in Post-Basketball Transition Position

Nick Collison, who played for the Seattle SuperSonics and Oklahoma City Thunder from 2003-2018, has joined OKC in a new capacity, per Royce Young of ESPN:

Drafted 12th overall by the Sonics in 2003, Collison averaged 5.9 points and 5.2 rebounds during his career. An accomplished collegiate player, he helped lead Kansas to the 2003 Division I national championship game.

As Brett Dawson of the Oklahoman wrote, Collison was a fan favorite during his playing days. He is also very close with Thunder star point guard Russell Westbrook, and the All-Star even helped provide Collison with a proper sendoff at the end of the 2017-18 regular season: 

Madysson Hope Morris of 107.7 The Franchise quoted Thunder head coach Billy Donovan, who praised Collison in advance of the team's Tuesday home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Collison was present before the game. 

"The more Nick [Collison] is around, the better it is for the guys," Donovan said. "It’s nice to have a vet like him come around."

The 25-14 Thunder entered Tuesday just 1.5 games back of the Denver Nuggets for first place in the Western Conference.