When Marist men’s basketball returns to the court for the 2024-25 season, there will be a new name on the roster with a familiar face: Jadin Collins-Roberts.
The young point guard, now a sophomore, announced the addition to his surname in a surprise jersey reveal in the team’s locker room over the summer.
The name change honors Jadin’s stepfather, Keith Roberts, who entered his life when he was seven and has since become a father figure he can depend on.
“It means the world to me and I’m glad I was able to show him our love is unbreakable,” said Collins-Roberts.
Collins-Roberts’ family, including Keith, visited campus during a week of summer practices. What everyone except Keith knew was that he would receive the ultimate birthday present later that day.
“I was completely clueless. I’m not even really paying attention, walking into the locker room. I noticed that the lights were dark and people were looking at me,” said Roberts. “I saw the name and I cracked right at that moment. My heart was ready to explode from all the emotion.”
Roberts does not think Jadin’s actions are surprising. The name change only adds to the bond the two have formed rather than defining it.
“Jadin is such a thoughtful young man and we know how close his family is,” said Marist head coach John Dunne. “He is one of the most mature guys I’ve ever coached.”
The idea first surfaced when Jadin’s mother, Teryn, asked him in middle school what he thought about it. The topic came up again when Jadin was in high school, but the conversations fell flat.
“This was a big step [changing my name] but I felt like I was a part of him [Keith] already so it was not something that ‘I gotta do this now’,” said Collins-Roberts.
The process formally began last winter when Jadin became of age to make the proper changes to legal documents, formalizing Keith’s relationship with Jadin and his family.
“Having the plan that was talked about for so many months actually come to life; the word is surreal,” said Collins-Roberts.
Jadin remembers opening the door to a man he did not know, but soon found comfort due to his comforting presence. That moment was the beginning of a new chapter in Jadin’s young life.
“As a kid, I took a lot of responsibility to protect my mother. I would try to stay up longer than my mother to protect her. After he came, I was getting better sleep. Something as simple as that he affected as soon as he walked in the door,” said Collins.
Keith also remembers the moment, seeing a kid with the biggest smile and missing front teeth, where they clicked instantly.
“Hearing the words ‘I’m proud of you’ is one of the best things you can hear from a father figure,” said Collins-Roberts.
Keith adds that it is common for Jadin to hear those words, but also to hear that he needs to do better. One example is when Jadin tried out for a local YMCA team when he was seven. Keith told Jadin honestly that he would not make the team.
“The disappointed look on his face hurt but I’d rather him hear the truth than lie to him just to make him smile,” said Roberts.
The next day, the two started working on Jadin’s goal. The following year, he made the team, shaping his identity to compete at a young age in basketball and beyond.
One year later as a nine-year-old, Jadin told Keith he wanted to play college basketball, understanding the work required to achieve said goal.
“One of the biggest things was to always stay hungry and want more. He taught me a lot about basketball mentally and physically,” said Collins-Roberts.
Keith comes from basketball starting at five years old, playing at Clifford J Scott High School (now merged into East Orange Campus High School as of 2002). His head coach, Greg Tynes, was a Seton Hall legend (1974-1978) who sits fifth all-time in points (2059), seventh all-time in scoring average (18.72), eighth in minutes played (3903) and second in field goals made (808) in program history.
Averaging 16 points and nine assists as point guard across his junior and senior seasons, Keith had a shot at Division I. He earned a scholarship to Wagner College and played there for two years before transferring to Montclair State University in New Jersey (DIII).
Jadin’s strength coach went to high school with Keith; coincidentally, one of Jadin’s first coaches played at Wagner like Keith. He used the lessons he learned in navigating the recruiting process and the stress of being a Division I student-athlete to give Jadin the best support system possible and the best chance to succeed.
In his junior year of high school, Jadin came home ready to make a big decision to change his trajectory forever: he wanted to transfer.
The lack of trust from a coach put Jadin’s dream in jeopardy, and his instincts told him to move to a new situation in order to keep his identity and dream alive.
“If he doesn’t make that decision, he is not where he is right now. That moment sticks with me a lot,” said Roberts.
A transfer to Rutgers Prep in Somerset, NJ from Roselle Catholic High School in Roselle, NJ catapulted Jadin into massive opportunities, as he led the Argonauts to a section championship his junior year before averaging 20 points per game as a senior.
Jadin’s maturity showed last season as a freshman, taking the lead ball-handling and point guard duties with an ultra-quick first step and fearlessness on both ends of the floor. He finished the season leading the team in minutes, assists and steals along with nine points and four rebounds per game.
In the MAAC quarterfinals, Jadin performed under the bright lights in a career-high, 21-point performance in a win over Niagara, sparking a double-digit comeback in the second half to extend the Red Foxes season.
That game showcased Jadin’s unique ability to create in transition and take over a game where he scored 14 points in the second half alone.
“My teams; I do like to play with a level of mental and physical toughness. When we have our better years we are typically a tough team in those areas; [Jadin] exudes that, has a hit-first mentality and wants to get better every day, every play,” said Dunne.
Dunne mentioned a play Jadin made in a home win over Siena that turned the momentum of the game late in the second half.
“We needed a bucket bad and he came up with a huge offensive rebound and put-back and foul. I remembered him coming out of nowhere, he just put his will on the game,” said Dunne.
Marist finished last season with their best conference finish in 17 years (No. 3 seed), highest win total in 16 seasons (18) and most road wins (8) in 17 years. Collins-Roberts had a crucial role in turning the tide for the program, as last season was Dunne’s first non-COVID winning season in his six-year tenure.
Keith holds so much confidence in Jadin that he joked to then assistant coach Dalip Bhatia during Jadin’s official visit that Jadin will make him more money. This offseason, Bhatia was promoted to associate head coach along with the promotions of Drew Metz and Brandon Hall.
“Jadin changes lives. You don’t run across people like that often, he definitely changed my life,” said Roberts.
Edited by Ben Leeds Dan Aulbach
Graphic by Jaylen Rizzo; Photo Provided by Jadin Collins-Roberts
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