Afterward, Alvarado said New Orleans stars not having inflated egos is part of why the team has a strong locker room. During his third year in the league in 2015-16, he was named the NBA Most Improved Player [1] . During his third year in the league in 201516, he was named the NBA Most Improved Player.[1]. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. CJ McCollum on potentially making the All-Star game this year: "I get paid like an All-Star" 12 Jan 2023 03:28:42 Towards the climax of that stretch, Lillard, in the middle of the 51-point game against Utah (of course), stepped to the free throw line, awaiting the ball before a familiar chant orchestrated by McCollum and Carmelo Anthony broke out: The entire arena gives Dame MVP chants after his 51-point game pic.twitter.com/kUZ4Fpv692. McCollum has repeatedly stressed not being too reactive to the ebbs and flows of the NBA season, a message that has permeated throughout the roster. PORTLAND Even a year after his departure, CJ McCollum is still featured prominently next to other historic Portland Trail Blazers figures in the back hallway of Moda Center. [74] It is co-hosted by ESPN analyst Jordan Schultz. [19] On November 6, 2018, McCollum scored 40 points during a 118103 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. He just doesnt know if he will be there solely to take meetings as the president of the NBA Players Association or if his trip to Salt Lake City will serve a dual purpose. And, as the old saying goes, the best ability is availability. No Blazer had recorded numbers on par with McCollum's near triple-double in the last 29 years (Clyde Drexler posted 34 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists or more on five occasions. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3), shown here driving against Brooklyn Nets forward TJ Warren at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, will be back home with his teammates Wednesday night following a five-game road trip, as the Pels take on the Miami Heat. Will Guillory is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering the New Orleans Pelicans. Thus far, it is 2-2 even though three of its normal starters Williamson, Ingram and Herb Jones have all missed multiple games. College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. [83], McCollum is a wine enthusiast. [35] He set another career-high for points scored with 43 on January 1 during a 9589 win over the Timberwolves. We look back on their greatest moments together. Remembering Damian Lillard and CJ McCollums Greatest Blazers Hits, Blazers Cant Stop Hawks Guards, Fall in Atlanta, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors Make Transactions as Season Concludes. His shooting percentages dipped to 39.9 percent from the field, as did Lehigh's record, and McCollum was edged out for conference Player of the Year honors by Mike Muscala of the Bucknell Bisons. CJ McCollum Getting Snubbed By NBA All-Star Game Voters [22] After injury decommissioned Lillard in late December, McCollum filled in as the primary point guard. The former Portland Trail Blazers star was also an AP All-American in college and the 2016 NBA Most Improved Player. [46] He joined Damian Lillard, Damon Stoudamire, Brandon Roy, Andre Miller, Clyde Drexler and Geoff Petrie as Trail Blazers to score 50 points or more. [53] On January 26, he recorded his first career triple-double with 28 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds in a 120111 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. 20 of ESPNs analysts made picks for this series, 19 of them siding with Oklahoma City. As a freshman in 2005, he was considerably undersized, standing at only 5ft 2in (1.57m). CJ McCollum Christian James McCollum Twitter : CJMcCollum Instagram: 3jmccollum Position: Shooting Guard Shoots: Right 6-3 , 190lb (190cm, 86kg) Born: September 19 , 1991 in Canton, Ohio us More bio, uniform, draft, salary info 2015-16 Most Improved 3 3 SUMMARY 2022-23 Career G 52 642 PTS 21.1 19.4 TRB 4.3 3.5 AST 5.9 3.7 FG% 43.5 45.4 1 in the Western Conference had become more of an unfortunate What If story. Why CJ McCollum is the most underappreciated superstar in the NBA Portland Trail Blazers Damian Lillard, who was snubbed as an All-Star starter, was a shoe-in. The Center aims to provide a safe and inspiring space for underserved youth to learn, explore, create, and grow. However, Portland was then ousted in the second round matchup by the Golden State Warriors, going down 41; though it would come in the 125121 loss that ended the Blazers' postseason run, McCollum recorded his third 27-point game of the playoffs during Game 5.[29]. [81], McCollum is involved in his community as a radio personality and philanthropist. [67], On February 8, 2022, Portland traded McCollum, Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tom Satoransk, Didi Louzada, a protected 2022 first-round draft pick, the better of New Orleans' and Portland's 2026 second-round draft picks and New Orleans' 2027 second-round draft pick. CJ McCollum with 25 Points vs. Golden State Warriors 7. Steph Curry and Luka Doncic as the top two backcourt options makes complete sense. He spent half his six-year (plus three games of a seventh season) career coming off the bench. There will be no Jamal Murray jokes today. 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. The Chris Haynes Interview on ESPN March 2018. 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 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. The 31-year-old guard battled the flu and COVID-19 early this season. Before Wednesdays matchup, McCollum said the Pelicans were desperate for a win after losing four in a row amid an epic nosedive in the standings. 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. McCollum put together the first of what would become a long list of elite performances in win-or-go-home games, many of those shots illustrated here: Ive got this odd suspicion that CJ McCollum is bounce back with one of his greater games tonight in Game 6. Bucks - Game Summary - November 21, 2019 - ESPN", "McCollum, Anthony carry Blazers past Pistons, 107-104", "Trail Blazers' CJ McCollum: Lights up Magic for 41", "VIDEO: CJ McCollum's game-winning three spoils James Harden's OT heroics", "Portland Trail Blazers' CJ McCollum elected NBPA president", "CJ MCCOLLUM DIAGNOSED WITH A PNEUMOTHORAX", "Portland Trail Blazers vs Orlando Magic Jan 17, 2022 Game Summary", "TRail Blazers Complete Trade With New Orleans", "Pelicans winning streak snapped by Heat in McCollum's debut, lose 112-97", "CJ McCollum, Pelicans Beat Dejounte Murray, Spurs in 2022 NBA Play-in Tournament", "CJ McCollum agrees to 2-year extension with Pelicans", "CJ McCollum etches name in Pelicans history with monster game vs. Spurs", "Pelicans star Zion Williamson reveals what made CJ McCollum's 42-point explosion 'beautiful', "CJ McCollum in favor of playing out the rest of the season at a single site", "C.J. Some would argue if I was in the East, I would have been a multi-time All-Star, McCollum said. Lillard helped bridge the gap between award-winning hip-hop artist and one of the faces of Adidas. As McCollum dressed at his locker, Jaxson Hayes screamed, Second team All-Defense, CJ McCollum! [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. 2. He came out with the kind of desperate mindset McCollum called for pregame, but he didnt allow that to translate into recklessness. The two provided multiple avenues for which the fanbase could connect. I know this is something that doesnt last forever, McCollum shared after the victory. To two undersized mid-major guards who had made a career out of outpunching their weight, though, odds meant little. [82] McCollum also helps foster local youths' interest in journalists through an initiative called CJ's Press Pass; it grants aspiring journalists access to postgame news conferences and provides them the opportunity to attend events with McCollum, to receive personalized mentorship from members of the media, and to have their work published. McCollum moved into the starting lineup for good in 2015-16, joining Lillard in the backcourt, and they teamed to lead Portland to playoff appearances each of the next five seasons, highlighted by a trip to the 2019 Western Conference finals. 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. Having convened for an annual photoshoot, the rookie class of 2013 took an NBA.com survey, according to which McCollum was voted the 201314 Rookie of the Year (together with Victor Oladipo). Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Steph and Klay have missed a big chunk of Golden State road games. [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. Vote here: https://n. [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. pic.twitter.com/xg2mvYWjBX. 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. [49] On December 12, he matched his season high with 40 points during a 9283 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. I mean. In the process, the Lillard-McCollum match had seldom looked better; they would become the first backcourt duo to each score 250+ points in their teams first ten games: The only others in league history to have done so at that time? He has nine years of those experiences working alongside Damian Lillard. MLB swings and misses in political debacle to move All-Star game He has made 55/114 (48%) of his three-pointers but has committed 46 turnovers. [41] McCollum would play in 80 games and start in all of them while averaging 21.4 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists a night. He is averaging 21.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists. Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and . Carmelo Anthony, CJ McCollum snubbed as reserves in 2021 NBA All-Star Game Lillard could offer some advice on how to deal with it. [19] In the season-opener on October 28, McCollum posted a career-high 37 points, scoring 22 of which in the first quarter alone, helping the Blazers defeat the New Orleans Pelicans, 11294. CJ McCollum is playing like the second All-Star Damian Lillard needs A large black-and-white photo of McCollum's late fadeaway jumper in a Game 7 win over Denver in the 2019 playoffs hangs on a gray, tiled wall about 10 feet away from Portland's locker room. [69] On April 13, during the NBA Play-In Tournament, McCollum recorded 32 points, six rebounds, and seven assists leading the Pelicans past the San Antonio Spurs 113103 and advancing New Orleans to the eight seed game. CJ McCollum was drafted by Portland Trail Blazers, 1st round (10th pick, 10th overall), 2013 NBA Draft. Pelicans Guard CJ McCollum Suggests He'd Be A Multiple-Time All-Star If If not, I am treated very well on the 1st and the 15th. McCollum is sinking 1.4 pull-up 3s per game this season, almost one more than the next-closest Pelican. He also missed the Blazers' Nov. 10 trip to New Orleans because of injury management, meaning it took a while for the two longtime teammates to play as opponents. 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. CJ McCollum will be in attendance for NBA All-Star Weekend in February. McCollum checked Haynes for being among those who didnt expect the pairing to work when they first started, highlighting some of the chip on their shoulder approaches that Portland fans have come to know all too well. Here are a few factors that will affect his All Star chances next season. Last Call for Blazers Edge Night Help (Please?). [14] McCollum sat out the first six weeks of the regular season with a foot injury. Despite his stature, McCollum played varsity as a freshman for the Golden Eagles, relying on his athleticism. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. [3], Throughout his high school career, McCollum worked at refining his shooting stroke; the successful effort was reflected in the 29.3 points per game he averaged during his senior season. Had he stayed healthy, he surely would be a top-10 guard in the Western Conference. Is CJ McCollum now the best player to never make an all-star game? Instagram: 8 (428) and No. Across their eight-and-half year reign together, the two combined for 29,367 points a lot of regular season and postseason buckets combined along with three 50-win seasons, eight postseason appearances, once upon a time the NBAs longest active streak, and an immeasurable amount of memories. The organization is doing a good job of picking its characters up.. [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. If I never make an All-Star Game man, I wont be sad about it because I know Im nice, and I know a lot of people respect my game, McCollum said. [77], McCollum has been married to his college sweetheart Elise Esposito since October 27, 2020. One of the most durable scorers in the game, he finished second in west guard voting last year. All rights reserved. He joined Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, and Tyreke Evans as the only players in Pelicans history to put up at least 40 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in a game. 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. [31] Only four days later, he posted 23 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and a career-high 3 blocks as Portland beat the Denver Nuggets, 115113, in an overtime contest. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. His consistency is part of why teams value him. [72] On December 30, McCollum scored 42 points on 11 three-pointers in a 127116 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. [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. My teammates did a good job of finding me and giving me those opportunities. [84] During the NBA coronavirus bubble, he brought 84 bottles in with him and kept his hotel room temperature at 60F (16C) or below to protect it. The NBPA President has 21 games to change minds. It was kind of getting back to how we play.. 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. [75] Guests on the show have included Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony. Vote CJ McCollum 2023 NBA All-Star - YouTube Ingram admitted after the win that he knows the margin of error is small for the Pels as they attempt to stay above water with all the injuries popping up. [39] The Blazers finished the regular season with a 4141 record and entered the playoffs as the eighth seed. NEW ORLEANS, La. And, in one of the more high-consequence games in recent Blazers memory, his running mate CJ McCollum all the while playing through a L3 vertebral transverse process fracture in his back was just as scintillating as the two combined for 60 points. A key component that made the Lillard-McCollum pairing so alluring came in just how available they made themselves in off-court settings. MLB moving All-Star Game from Georgia in response to new voting laws - CNN It . Taking care of business for the players. 6 overall in 2012, they took McCollum with another lottery pick (No. (Photo of the picture on the wall via Will Guillory / The Athletic). McCollum finished the night with 24 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, but it wasnt his offensive performance that left his teammates giddy after the buzzer. It paid off tonight, Ingram told The Athletic. Be sure to share some of your favorite Lillard-McCollum memories below as well. [17], On October 27, 2014, Portland exercised their third-year team option to extended McCollum's rookie scale contract through 201516. 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. But I think its about team success. [16] On February 8, McCollum posted a season-high 19 points in a 117110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. McCollum is making $33.3 million this season. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. A consummate student of journalism, McCollum penned an article for Sporting News explaining why he opted to continue on with his education. Its difficult to argue that Damian Lillard isnt, at the current moment, playing some of the best basketball of his career. After . Talk about Blazers vs. Hawks Second Half Here! McCollum has a podcast studio in his home and brings portable recording equipment with him when he is out of town. [59] Portland went on to lose the Conference Finals in a four-game sweep to the Warriors. In subsequent press conferences, the two would even grow to develop similar mannerisms, complementing one another along the way. CJ McCollum will be in attendance for NBA All-Star Weekend in February.