Jadin Collins' passion was evident in his first year on the floor for the Marist men's basketball team.
 
He was a staunch competitor on the floor, one who could thrill with his drives to the goal, his playmaking ability, and dives for loose balls. He was one of the MAAC's top freshmen last season, rewarded with a spot on the conference's All-Championship Team as he helped the Red Foxes to their best conference finish in 17 years and highest win total in 16 seasons.
 
His passion on the floor is matched by his passion for his family. On July 23, Jadin Collins announced that he would be going by a new name moving forward: Jadin Collins-Roberts. The announcement came in the Red Foxes' locker room, with Jadin's new home jersey adorned with "Collins-Roberts" above the number 0 on the back hanging in his neatly kept locker. A new nameplate reading Jadin Collins-Roberts sat atop the locker.
 
There is a purpose to everything Jadin Collins-Roberts does, which is exemplified by this announcement. His name change is a way to honor his stepfather, Keith Roberts, who has been in Jadin's life since he was six years old. The date of the announcement provided the greatest sense of purpose.
 
July 23 is Keith Roberts' birthday.
 
"I know it's on a jersey and it's on the locker room nameplate, but it's obviously bigger than basketball," Jadin said to Keith in the locker room. "That, to me, symbolizes my love for you."
 
Numerous family members were present as a surprise to Keith on an emotional day.
 
"That's the best present, right there," Keith Roberts said, shortly after seeing Jadin's new jersey.
 
The name change played out over the course of nearly eight months. It was an idea that initially arose in the winter of 2023. As the following spring approached, the legal process began, which included changes to Jadin's social security card, driver's license, and passport.
 
All the while, Jadin was keeping this process a secret from Keith. A trip home to New Jersey to change a document would come under the guise of fixing a light on his car. Through it all, Jadin kept his cover until a tour of the McCann Center with his family reached the locker room on July 23.
 
"In the process of recruiting Jadin for over two years, we didn't just recruit him; we became very close to his family as well," Marist head coach John Dunne said. "When he told us about wanting to legally change his name and put his stepfather's name on his jersey, we couldn't have been happier for Jadin, Keith, and the entire family. They made such a nice day of it … seeing it on the jersey in the spotlight in the locker room was really special."
 
Associate head coach Dalip Bhatia was the lead recruiter during Jadin's time at Rutgers Prep. He was immediately impressed by the bonds that he observed with Jadin's family.
 
"During the early stages of Jadin's recruitment process in his junior year in high school, it became very apparent how tight-knit of a family that Jadin was surrounded by," Bhatia said. "It was great to see the positive impact that Jadin's entire family has made on him over the years, as he arrived at Marist College with an outstanding work ethic, discipline, humility, selflessness, and high character which helped him have early success on the court, in the classroom, and in the campus community.  It's apparent that these qualities are a direct correlation to his family values."
 
July 23, 2024 will always be a memorable day for Jadin, Keith, and their entire family. As Jadin Collins-Roberts gets ready to embark on his sophomore year at Marist, it's apparent how much support he truly has.