7. That forced Green to try something different. McCollum evolved with the Pull-Up podcast and as a wine connoisseur, to name a few of his interests. On April 16, 2017, Portland lost 121109 to the Warriors in Game 1 of the first-round series; yet McCollum's 41 points during the game was his postseason career-best and made him only the eighth Blazer with a 40-point playoff performance. Glen Oak in Canton, Ohio, Draft: On December 27, McColllum put up 35 points to go along with 11 rebounds and 9 assists during a 9894 win over the Sacramento Kings. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. [54] On March 1, he scored 35 points and matched a career best by making seven 3-pointers in a 119117 loss to the Toronto Raptors. [26] By the end of the regular season, he averaged 20.8 points per game, while Lillard did 25.1 points, making the first backcourt to average 20 or more points apiece in Blazers' history. McCollum played high school basketball for the Golden Eagles at GlenOak High School in his native city of Canton, Ohio. [22] After injury decommissioned Lillard in late December, McCollum filled in as the primary point guard. [34] On December 10, he set a new career-high of 7 three-pointers made and finished with 34 points scored in a 118111 loss to the Indiana Pacers. 8. In tandem, they tallied up 32 second half points, resuscitating the Blazers long time postseason streak in the process. But me knowing him the way I know him and having to compete against him, I wanted to make sure I got out front and set the tone early.. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Twitter: If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. New Orleans 10-year veteran guard CJ McCollum was sidelined during Mondays win at Oklahoma City due to a right ankle sprain, and is listed as questionable to play Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers. 3 First Team All-Patriot League (20102012), 3 Patriot League All-Tournament team (20102012), Patriot League's all-time leading scorer (2361 points), Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 03:34. McCollum knows he is enough. [24] On February 12, he was named among the invites to All-Star Weekend's Three-Point Contest. [3], McCollum played at the private research school Lehigh University for four seasons. Given the mounting pressure, Manfred believed the least political solution was to . If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum top NBA quotes of the week, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus series, Formerly a consultant with the Indiana Pacers. Theres: (1) The Rodney Hood Game, the 4OT thriller in Game Three, (3) The CJ McCollum Game, the Game 7 comeback. NEW ORLEANS CJ McCollum scored a season-high 40 points and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the San Antonio Spurs 126-117 to end their four-game losing streak. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). [63], On December 26, 2020, McCollum scored a season-high 44 points, along with a game-winning three-pointer, in a 128126 overtime win against the Houston Rockets. Game Four remains a positive memory nonetheless. Even beyond the emotional stakes of McCollum and Lillards first meeting as opponents, New Orleans needed this win to hold off a team now neck-and-neck with them in the playoff race. [75][76] In a March 2020 episode of the podcast, McCollum was recording when he received news that the NBA was suspending the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. #RipCity #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/gx5FvsyBgy. He deployed Herb Jones at center in small lineups for much of the fourth quarter and attempted to disrupt the Lillard pick-and-roll by throwing multiple coverages at him. Defense for offense typifies this fantasy trade. Data Provided By pic.twitter.com/URZ0mDnBD0. Williamson is now on the shelf for at least three weeks and Ingram's timetable to return is unknown. 1 in the Western Conference, 51-point performance against Golden State, 41-point second half takeover from Lillard and McCollum, McCollums comments about load management. Ive got to set the precedent on how we got to compete on both ends. That's borderline laughable but, as with real estate's main rule, location dictates that's just how it goes sometimes for small-market stars. Its going to be a roller coaster. [48], Across 70 games, starting in all of them, McCollum would average 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists for the season. Major League Baseball announced Friday that this season's All-Star Game and draft will not be held in Atlanta in response to Georgia's recently passed laws that placed new restrictions on voting. [46] On March 28, McCollum had a 42-point effort, which came in a 108103 loss to the Grizzlies. [21] With four of Portland's previous startersLaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews, and Robin Lopezhaving departed, only star point guard Damian Lillard remained; thus McCollum was elevated to starting shooting guard to join Lillard in the backcourt for the 201516 campaign. Among some highlights: The chemistry proved tangible. The former Portland Trail Blazers star was also an AP All-American in college and the 2016 NBA Most Improved Player. [65], On December 7, 2021, McCollum was diagnosed with a pneumothorax and was ruled out indefinitely. CJ McCollum was born on September 19, 1991, making him 28 years old as of 2019. [4] He was the leading freshman scorer in the nation and the first player in Patriot League history to be named conference Player and Rookie of the Year. In that game, Lillard played a 60-minute-and-one-second game, McCollum at 57:59 prompting his This is what Im built for quote on the way to one of the greatest games in league history. [84], 20182022: Conference Finals and last years in Portland, Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 03:34, "Lehigh Mountain Hawks 2009 Player Commits", List of National Basketball Association career 3-point scoring leaders, List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career scoring leaders, "CJ McCollum Named Kia Most Improved Player", "Blazers send thanks to Aldridge, Matthews, Batum, and Lopez", "Patriot League Men's Basketball All-League Teams and Awards Announced", "201112 Men's Basketball All-Patriot League Teams and Major Awards Announced", "NCAA basketball: Lehigh pulls off monumental upset of Duke", "C.J. From 2015-16 to 2020-21, Lillard was No. Damian Lillard and Devin Booker are totally understandable choices. Long pigeonholed into the very good but not-good-enough category of a team's second-best . Keeping both highlight-reel makers and opposing defenses awake and working late in the night, the duo injected a jolt of energy into the Portland fanbase, lacing up for over 500 games together from 2014 to 2022. [45] During a game on January 31, as Portland defeated the Bulls, 124108, McCollum scored a franchise-record 28 points in the first quarter alone, and he finished with a career-high 50 points in only three periods before heading to the bench for the fourth. And of course, its well-known how this series ended. [57] In Game 6, he scored 30 points in a 119108 win, helping the Blazers tie the series against the Nuggets at 33. 1 in minutes played (15,750) with McCollum at No. McCollum was named First Team All-Conference. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. He came out with the kind of desperate mindset McCollum called for pregame, but he didnt allow that to translate into recklessness. The Chris Haynes Interview on ESPN March 2018. We came out and just competed, played hard. pic.twitter.com/xg2mvYWjBX. But we just care about each other. The championship window seemed shattered on the ruptured Achilles of Wesley Matthews, and within weeks, the talented two-guardalong with fellow starters Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, and Robin Lopezwould become a thing of the past. Lillard joked that he knew McCollum's full-court pressure against "wasn't going to last." [66] On January 17, 2022, he made his return from the injury, logging 16 points in a 9888 win over the Orlando Magic. CJ McCollum however, 12-veteran and NBPA President, has never made an NBA All-Star Game and is again getting looked over by the fan voters. The win moved New Orleans to 1.5 games ahead of Portland in the West. Can you help us send children in need to see the Blazers play the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, March 29th? His consistency is part of why teams value him. [4], As a junior in the 201112 campaign, McCollum again earned Patriot League Player of the Year, as well as his third straight First Team All-Conference designation. [52] On January 22, he scored 31 points and made seven 3-pointers in a 123114 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, thus passing Nicolas Batum (751) for fourth on the franchise's all-time 3-pointers list. This was no longer the case in 2019-20, with the unorthodox, truncated NBA Restart leaving teams unable to play over a four-month span from mid-March to late-July. But as long as we remain solid and be us, then we are going to be all right.. CJ McCollum with 25 Points vs. Golden State Warriors, 03/03/2023 If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. However lively the yearly trade-deadline chatter might be, there's a reason CJ McCollum is still in Portland. [14] McCollum sat out the first six weeks of the regular season with a foot injury. I am going to make plays. [10] McCollum went on to graduate from Lehigh University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.[11][12]. McCollum is shooting a healthy 40.1% on catch-and-shoot 3s this season. He consistently made the right play and was unbothered by Portlands attempts to run double teams or zone coverages to force him into mistakes. In a considerably superior environment with more talent, the Warriors often got the better end of the stick. The historic, 68-point, 23-assist game the two had against Sacramento on Jan. 14, 2021. Email Christian Clark at cclark@theadvocate.com. The two provided multiple avenues for which the fanbase could connect. After . Afterward, Alvarado said New Orleans stars not having inflated egos is part of why the team has a strong locker room. "It's cool to compete against your peers and your friends and people that you respect and you worked with. [4], As a sophomore in 201011, McCollum increased his averages to 21.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per outing. If not, then he will handle his duties as NBPA president and then escape the Mountain West cold for a few days with his family. It is happy to see Lillard being a part of the All-star game a reserve, but we all would have loved seeing Anything and McCollum join their teammate in Atlanta on March 7. 1. We present them here for purely educational purposes. In his season debut on October 20, he put up 28 points on 12-of-18 shooting to lead his team past the Indiana Pacers, 11496. In 2022, McCollum was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, ending his nine year run with the Blazers. [64] On August 7, 2021, McCollum was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association, succeeding Chris Paul who had served since 2013. 6 overall in 2012, they took McCollum with another lottery pick (No. The Most Valuable McCollum leads the MVP chants for Lillard Feb. 2, 2020. It's also available for football, hockey and baseball. [55] McCollum missed 10 games over late March and early April with a left knee injury. While Lillard did get the best of him in their individual matchup, McCollum got what he needed most in his return to Portland: a win. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. McCollum: Why I'm returning to Lehigh for my senior year", "McCollum breaks record in 9177 win at Sacred Heart", "Hulls Named Finalist for Senior CLASS Award", "Lehigh alum C.J. Thinking about some of the other elite duos of this time think Harden-Westbrook, Embiid-Simmons, etc its remarkable that there was never a story in which jealousy or insecurity came about. (Photo of the picture on the wall via Will Guillory / The Athletic). [33] On November 20, McCollum scored 33 points and hit a career-high 6 three-pointers, to defeat the Brooklyn Nets 129109. Fighting merely to avoid being swept at the Moda Center, the Blazers brought pride and energy, largely through their talented guard grouping. Staying confident in everything that Im doing. McCollum is sinking 1.4 pull-up 3s per game this season, almost one more than the next-closest Pelican. What often goes forgotten in that game is that Portland, to borrow another boxing term, were very much so against the ropes, trailing 101-93 with nine minutes to play. [51] On December 30, he broke out of a six-game funk by hitting 13 of 18 shots in a 35-point performance as the Trail Blazers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 12995. McCollum has averaged 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists on 119/257 shooting from the field in the last 13 games (46%). Be sure to share some of your favorite Lillard-McCollum memories below as well. CJ McCollum is on Instagram at 3jmccollum. CJ McCollum is one of the most under-appreciated stars in the NBA. Just long, athletic guys all over the place. Learn more and register. Portland Trail Blazers Damian Lillard, who was snubbed as an All-Star starter, was a shoe-in. So I was just trying to take it all in.. I think that was the desperation we need to play with moving forward. He is one of the best players of his generation to have never earned a nod. For the first time in 16 months, that pairing this generations most impactful Blazers duo will share the floor together once more in what promises to be an emotional outing. [68] Two days later, McCollum made his Pelicans debut, putting up 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in a 11297 loss to the Miami Heat. For nearly a full decade, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum shared the backcourt for the Portland Trail Blazers, staking their claim as one of the NBAs most potent 1-2 punches. The fact that each guard played in 90+ percent of the games they shared together. By the time the year is over, he will have collected close to $180 million in career earnings. Christian James McCollum (born September 19, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Coaches, players, and the media already have the utmost respect for McCollum. CJ McCollum has made at least $147,980,107 playing professional basketball. Vote for New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum and the rest of the team to help bring real jazz to Utah for the 2023 NBA All-Star game. He smiled, folded his hands together, and took a bow of appreciation. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Sports Illustrated's 38th-best player last season has also been humble in the biggest moments since joining the New Orleans Pelicans, both collectively and individually. The two used to guard each other during Portland practice sessions when they wanted to light a fire under their teammates, and McCollums effort had the same effect on his new club. [2] On August 7, 2021, he was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association, replacing Chris Paul. In subsequent press conferences, the two would even grow to develop similar mannerisms, complementing one another along the way. If you look at the numbers, Pelicans guard CJ McCollum is easily an All-Star caliber player. Christian James McCollum Game One of the 2021 series against Denver, in which the two combined for 55. For those who can remember at the time, it offered a look into sides of the Blazers duo that hadnt been seen as often. Here are a few factors that will affect his All Star chances next season. McCollum is making $33.3 million this season. The series itself wasnt anything to speak of, but it served as one of the many times in which anything felt possible because both players were on at the same time. For the Blazers, then 29-37, injury-riddled and flawed, this meant that they had nearly a half-year to lick their wounds, reassess their situation, and most of all, figure out how they would stay within striking distance of the eighth-seeded Grizzlies for a shot at a Western Conference Play-In Game. In celebration for those, we look back at eight-and-a-half of their greatest moments in tandem. He just doesn't know if he will be there solely to take meetings as the president of the NBA Players Association or. Lillard could offer some advice on how to deal with it. Vote for New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum and the rest of the team to help bring real jazz to Utah for the 2023 NBA All-Star game. To get his team over the hump, Ingram must consistently play at a superstar level the rest of the way. Im going to be more consistent. [36] In a game on January 13, a 115109 loss to the Orlando Magic, he posted 26 points to extended his streak of games with 25-plus points to eight in a row, the third-longest in Blazers' history (only Geoff Petrie with 11 and Clyde Drexler with 9 games have had longer among Blazers players. CJMcCollum He attended Glendora High School in Glendora, California, where he played basketball. Both Anthony and McCollum deserved to be reserved in the All-Star game this year if we look at the output both of them have put out. New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (left) high-fives CJ McCollum (right) during the second half of a preseason game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Oct. 4, 2022, in Chicago. [30] McCollum would start in all 80 games that he played and would average 23 points as well as 3.6 rebounds and as many assists. Maybe, the former Most Improved Player will finally get the first All-Star nod of his career. Dynamic duos dont survive nearly a full decade together without learning how to reach peak performance simultaneously. Indeed, New Orleans later switched to defensive stoppers Herbert Jones, Dyson Daniels and Josh Richardson against Lillard, denying him the basketball in an effort to force other Portland players to beat them. You have permission to edit this article. Despite not elevating Portland to a championship, Dame and CJ provided the small-market Blazers relevance within the national media, highlighted by their hour-long, exclusive sit down with Yahoo Sports Senior NBA Insider (then of ESPN) in Chris Haynes. Ingram's personal update explained how it would be hard to tell exactly when he'd be ready. It paid off tonight, Ingram told The Athletic. 10). When NBA players discuss some of the benefits to that of their sport, in comparison to say, the NFL where games are often seven days apart one of the positives they always bring up: after a bad performance, you normally dont have to wait as long for a shot at redemption. NEW ORLEANS, La. If it happens, thats great. There are 21 games over the next 6 weeks to garner some more fan votes. The Pelicans handled that pressure and played like the more desperate team, withstanding a 41-point outburst from Lillard to hold on to a 121-110 victory. He is a New Orleans native. If the Portland Trail Blazers guard continues in this vein of form, he is a surefire All-Star selection. Beyond Zion Williamson, who remains out with his hamstring injury, Jose Alvarado will miss at least the next weeks with a right tibia stress reaction and Larry Nance is out at least the next two weeks with an ankle issue. "Obviously, that's a tough matchup," McCollum said. pic.twitter.com/fI7cgRCzYK. Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, They said it! Two nights later, he had 38 points in a loss to the Boston Celtics. The other names on the list are questionable at best. The NBPA President has 21 games to change minds. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. I know this is something that doesnt last forever, McCollum shared after the victory. [44] On January 1, to defeat the Chicago Bulls, 124120, he scored 25 of 32 points after halftime, including the game-clinching basket with 56.5 seconds left in overtime. On July 27, 2016, McCollum signed a four-year contract extension with Portland. Sports Illustrated's 38th-best player last season. Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, & Rodney Hood combined for 87 PTS as the Blazers won at home last night to force a Game 7! He has nine years of those experiences working alongside Damian Lillard. The former NBA Most Improved Player in 2015-16 has. [20], Exercising their fourth-year team option on September 30, 2015, the Trail Blazers extended McCollum's rookie scale-contract through the 201617 season. inCanton,Ohio [3] Even though he was already considered virtually destined to be a top NBA draft pick by his third year, he decided to finish his final year of college instead of leaving sooner for the NBA. If its in Gods plan for it to happen, so be it, McCollum said. You could argue I should have made it in previous years. I am going to make shots and am going to help us win.. Blazers Play Like Field Mice Against Hawks, Get Eaten Up. To begin the night, the Pelicans had McCollum guarding the red-hot Lillard, who entered the game averaging 38.7 points over the previous 20 games. Do you have a blog? But for the first time in his career, McCollum walked through that back hallway with the intention of beating Lillard and handing his new team a historic night of their own. After starting the game 5/8 from the three-point line, the Pelicans finished just 5/21. Over that span, Lillard averaged 45.1 points, 9.6 assists, and 5.5 rebounds on 53-53-88 splits (no, there are no typos there), with the sub-.500 Blazers needing every ounce of it to keep their fledgling postseason aspirations alive. McCollum: 'More Than Just a Basketball Player', "CJ McCollum Dream Center Opens at Blazers Boys & Girls Club", "Portland's CJ McCollum is a Silent Assassin on the Court and a Blooming Journalist Off of it", "NBA star CJ McCollum is keeping his hotel room a frigid temperature to create a wine cellar for the 84 bottles he ordered to the Disney bubble", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=CJ_McCollum&oldid=1140860142. [19] In the season-opener on October 25, he put up 25 points to help defeat the Utah Jazz, 113104. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. He never made an All-NBA Team. You can get full details here or simply visit the Trail Blazers ticket site and click Buying Options to donate a ticket or two! We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. McCollum: 'More than just a basketball player', "Magic's Oladipo among rookie favorites to stand out in 201314", "Trail Blazers assign CJ McCollum to D-League", "Trail Blazers Exercise Team Options On Meyers Leonard And CJ McCollum", "Grizzlies advance, beating Trail Blazers 9993 in Game 5", "Trail Blazers Exercise Team Options On McCollum, Plumlee and Vonleh", "McCollum scores 37 as Blazers down Pelicans 11294", "McCollum scores 35 as Trail Blazers beat Kings 9894", "Randolph leads Grizzlies to 9178 win over Trail Blazers", "CJ McCollum to Compete in Foot Locker Three-Point Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend", "McCollum has 30 as Trail Blazers beat Kings 115107", "Playoff destination sealed, Blazers beat Nuggets 10799", "Blazers' McCollum named Kia NBA Most Improved Player", "Splash Brothers Curry, Thompson send Warriors to West finals", "Trail Blazers Sign CJ McCollum to Contract Extension", "Lillard scores 39, Blazers run home-opening win streak to 16", "Lillard hits floater, Blazers beat Nuggets 115113 in OT", "McCollum matches career high, Blazers beat Grizzlies 10094", "McCollum scores 33 points, Trail Blazers beat Nets 129109", "George has 37 points to lead Pacers over Blazers 118111", "McCollum has 43 points, Trail Blazers top Timberwolves 9589", "Vucevic's season-high 30 lead Magic past Blazers, 115109", "McCollum's winner sends Blazers past Mavs 114113", "Blazers beat Nuggets to take 1-game lead for 8th seed", "Durant shines in Warriors playoff debut in Game 1 win", "Blazers hand Suns worst loss ever in season opener, 12476", "McCollum's scores 28 in Blazers' 11496 win over Pacers", "Evans, Conley help Grizzlies hold off Trail Blazers 9897", "McCollum helps Blazers to 108105 comeback win over Wizards", "McCollum scores 32, leads Blazers over Bulls 124120 in OT", "McCollum scores 50 in 3 quarters, Blazers beat Bulls 124108", "MarShon Brooks scores 21 as Grizzlies beat Blazers 108103", "Davis' 47 points leads Pelicans to sweep of Trail Blazers", "McCollum scores 40 as Trail Blazers beat Bucks 118103", "Conley leads late rally as Grizzlies defeat Portland 9283", "Lillard scores 33, Trail Blazers top Mavericks 121118 in OT", "McCollum leads Trail Blazers in 12995 rout of 76ers", "George nets 36, Westbrook 29 as Thunder tops Blazers 123114", "McCollum has triple-double, Trail Blazers beat Hawks 120111", "Leonard hits winner, Raptors beat Trail Blazers 119117", "Lillard scores 30 points, Trail Blazers beat Nuggets 115108", "Blazers go up 21 after 140137 win in 4 OTs over Denver", "Blazers force Game 7 with 119108 victory over Denver", "McCollum leads Blazers past Nuggets 10096", "Warriors beat Blazers 119117 in OT for NBA Finals berth", "Trail Blazers vs.