CJ McCollum

American basketball player (born 1991)

CJ McCollum

McCollum at the 2022 Three-Point Contest

No. 3 – New Orleans Pelicans
Position| Shooting guard
League| NBA
Personal information
Born|  (1991-09-19) September 19, 1991 (age 33)
Canton, Ohio, U.S.
Listed height| 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight| 190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school| GlenOak (Canton, Ohio)
College| Lehigh (2009–2013)
NBA draft| 2013: 1st round, 10th overall pick
Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers
Playing career| 2013–present
Career history
2013–2022| Portland Trail Blazers
2014| →Idaho Stampede
2022–present| New Orleans Pelicans
Career highlights and awards

* NBA Most Improved Player (2016)
* 2× AP Honorable Mention All-American (2010, 2012)
* 2× Patriot League Player of the Year (2010, 2012)
* 3× First-team All-Patriot League (2010–2012)
* Patriot League tournament MVP (2012)
* Patriot League Rookie of the Year (2010)
* No. 3 retired by Lehigh Mountain Hawks

Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference

Christian James McCollum (born September 19, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his third year in the league in 2015–16, he was named the NBA Most Improved Player.[1]

McCollum played college basketball for the Lehigh Mountain Hawks and was named the Patriot League Player of the Year in both 2010 and 2012. He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the tenth overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft. A reserve in his first two years, he became a full-time starter for the Trail Blazers in his third season after making the decision to move to shooting guard as the Blazers lost LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum, and Robin Lopez in free agency following the end of the 2014–15 season.[2] On August 7, 2021, he was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association, replacing Chris Paul. In 2022, McCollum was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, ending his nine-year run with the Blazers.

## High school career

[edit]

McCollum played high school basketball for the Golden Eagles at GlenOak High School in his native city of Canton, Ohio. As a freshman in 2005, he was considerably undersized, standing at only 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m). Despite his stature, McCollum played varsity as a freshman for the Golden Eagles, relying on his athleticism.[3] McCollum would eventually benefit from a late growth spurt, gaining five inches by his second year and another four inches by his third year of high school; it proved enough to put him on the radar for college recruitment.[3] In his very first game as a junior, McCollum came away with 54 points to set both school and Stark County records.[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.[3] By graduation, McCollum had become the leading scorer in Golden Eagles history, with 1,405 career points, and was named Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year for his final campaign, the 2008–09 season.[3]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes  Name  | Hometown  | High school / college  | Height  | Weight  | Commit date

|
|
|
|
|

CJ McCollum
PG / SG | Canton, Ohio | GlenOak High | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)  | 165 lb (75 kg)  | Sep 17, 2008
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: ESPN grade: 83
Overall recruiting rankings: ESPN: 91 (PG)

*   * Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
* In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

*   *   * "Lehigh Mountain Hawks 2009 Player Commits". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
*   * "2009 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 27, 2017.

## College career

[edit]

McCollum playing for Lehigh in 2012

McCollum played at the private research school Lehigh University for four seasons. Listed at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) and 165 lb (75 kg) as a freshman in 2009–10, he made an immediate impact for the Mountain Hawks.[3] He played in 33 games, starting in 31, and averaged 19.1 points and 5 rebounds per game while shooting 45.9 percent from the field.[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.[5] Also, he was an Associated Press honorable mention All-American. McCollum led the Mountain Hawks to the 2010 NCAA tournament, where he put up 26 points in a first-round loss to a top-seeded Kansas team.[4]

As a sophomore in 2010–11, McCollum increased his averages to 21.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per outing. He played and started in 31 contests and shot 39.9 percent from the field. 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. McCollum was named First Team All-Conference.[4]

As a junior in the 2011–12 campaign, McCollum again earned Patriot League Player of the Year, as well as his third straight First Team All-Conference designation.[6] In 2012, the Mountain Hawks beat the Duke Blue Devils, 75–70, in the school's first ever victory at the NCAA Division I tournament, during which McCollum posted a game-high 30 points; this marked only the sixth time in the history of the tournament that a team seeded 15th defeated a team seeded second.[7]

Over his four collegiate years, McCollum added 30 pounds of muscle to fill out his frame.[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. A consummate student of journalism, McCollum penned an article for Sporting News explaining why he opted to continue on with his education.[8]

On November 25, 2012, McCollum scored 26 points in a 91–77 win over Sacred Heart to pass Rob Feaster as the Patriot League's all-time leading scorer.[9] On January 5, 2013, McCollum broke his left foot in a game against the VCU Rams, ending his season early. He was a 2012–13 Senior CLASS Award finalist.[10] McCollum went on to graduate from Lehigh University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.[11][12]

### College awards and honors

[edit]

* 2× Patriot League Player of the Year (2010, 2012)
* 3× First Team All-Patriot League (2010–2012)
* 3× Patriot League All-Tournament team (2010–2012)
* Patriot League Tournament MVP (2012)
* Patriot League Rookie of the Year (2010)
* Patriot League's all-time leading scorer (2361 points)

## Professional career

[edit]

### Portland Trail Blazers (2013–2022)

[edit]

#### 2013–2015: early years

[edit]

The first player to ever enter the NBA from Lehigh, McCollum was picked tenth overall in the 2013 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He signed his rookie scale contract with the franchise on July 11,[13] and he proceeded to play for them in the NBA Summer League, averaging 21 points and 4 rebounds per game.

Having convened for an annual photoshoot, the rookie class of 2013 took an NBA.com survey, according to which McCollum was voted the 2013–14 Rookie of the Year (together with Victor Oladipo).[14] McCollum sat out the first six weeks of the regular season with a foot injury. On January 1, 2014, he was assigned to the Idaho Stampede of the development league.[15] He was recalled by the Blazers on January 5 and made his NBA debut three days later, during which he notched 4 points as Portland beat the Orlando Magic, 110–94.[16] On February 8, McCollum posted a season-high 19 points in a 117–110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.[17]

On October 27, 2014, Portland exercised their third-year team option to extended McCollum's rookie scale contract through 2015–16.[18] For his sophomore season, he played 15.7 minutes per outing while averaging 6.8 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1 assist across 62 games.[19] During a first-round playoff loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Game 5, McCollum scored a then career-high of 33 points.[20]

#### 2015–2016: Most Improved Player

[edit]

Exercising their fourth-year team option on September 30, 2015, the Trail Blazers extended McCollum's rookie scale-contract through the 2016–17 season.[21] With four of Portland's previous starters—LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews, and Robin Lopez—having departed, only star point guard Damian Lillard remained; thus McCollum was elevated to starting shooting guard to join Lillard in the backcourt for the 2015–16 campaign. As such, he saw his minutes increase to 34.8 per contest, and he started in all 80 games that he played. For the season, he would average 20.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists a night across 80 games.[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, 112–94.[22] After injury decommissioned Lillard in late December, McCollum filled in as the primary point guard. On December 27, McCollum put up 35 points to go along with 11 rebounds and 9 assists during a 98–94 win over the Sacramento Kings. 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.)[23] McCollum was able to resume his starting shooting guard role on January 4 as Lillard was back on his feet, returned from injury.[24] On February 12, he was named among the invites to All-Star Weekend's Three-Point Contest.[25] On April 5, he posted his eighth 30-point game of the season, during a 115–107 win over Sacramento.[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.[27] McCollum would subsequently earn NBA Most Improved Player honors for his breakout 2015–16 season.[28]

McCollum helped the Blazers claim victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, 4–2, in the first round of the playoffs. However, Portland was then ousted in the second round matchup by the Golden State Warriors, going down 4–1; though it would come in the 125–121 loss that ended the Blazers' postseason run, McCollum recorded his third 27-point game of the playoffs during Game 5.[29]

#### 2016–2018: playoff disappointment

[edit]

McCollum with the Trail Blazers in 2018

On July 27, 2016, McCollum signed a four-year contract extension with Portland.[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.[19] In the season-opener on October 25, he put up 25 points to help defeat the Utah Jazz, 113–104.[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, 115–113, in an overtime contest.[32] During a 100–94 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on November 6, he matched his earlier career-high by racking up 37 points.[33] On November 20, McCollum scored 33 points and hit a career-high 6 three-pointers, to defeat the Brooklyn Nets 129–109.[34] On December 10, he set a new career-high of 7 three-pointers made and finished with 34 points scored in a 118–111 loss to the Indiana Pacers.[35] He set another career-high for points scored with 43 on January 1 during a 95–89 win over the Timberwolves.[36] In a game on January 13, a 115–109 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.[37]) On February 7, McCollum scored 32 points; the last two of which, on a runner from the top of the lane, clinched the 114–113 win over the Dallas Mavericks with 0.9 seconds left.[38] In a 122–113 victory over Denver on March 28, McCollum finished with a 39-point tally.[39] The Blazers finished the regular season with a 41–41 record and entered the playoffs as the eighth seed.

On April 16, 2017, Portland lost 121–109 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.[40] McCollum missed the opener of the 2017–18 season due to a single-game suspension incurred when he left the bench area once during a preseason game.[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. 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, 114–96.[42] He recorded as many as 36 points during a 98–97 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on November 7.[43] On the 25th of that month, McCollum had 26 points and scored 7 straight in the final quarter, as he helped Portland stage a 10–0 scoring run to overcome a 17-point deficit and defeat the Washington Wizards, 108–105.[44] On January 1, to defeat the Chicago Bulls, 124–120, he scored 25 of 32 points after halftime, including the game-clinching basket with 56.5 seconds left in overtime.[45] During a game on January 31, as Portland defeated the Bulls, 124–108, 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.[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.[46] On March 28, McCollum had a 42-point effort, which came in a 108–103 loss to the Grizzlies.[47] In Game 4 of the Trail Blazers' first-round playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans, McCollum scored 38 points in a 131–123 loss. The loss eliminated Portland from the playoffs, the last in a four-game sweep.[48]

#### 2018–2022: Conference Finals and last years in Portland

[edit]

Across 70 games, starting in all of them, McCollum would average 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists for the season.[19] On November 6, 2018, McCollum scored 40 points during a 118–103 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.[49] On December 12, he matched his season high with 40 points during a 92–83 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.[50] On December 23, in a game against the Warriors, McCollum moved past Damon Stoudamire (717) into fifth on the Blazers' career list for 3-pointers.[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 129–95.[52] On January 22, he scored 31 points and made seven 3-pointers in a 123–114 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, thus passing Nicolas Batum (751) for fourth on the franchise's all-time 3-pointers list.[53] On January 26, he recorded his first career triple-double with 28 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds in a 120–111 win over the Atlanta Hawks.[54] On March 1, he scored 35 points and matched a career best by making seven 3-pointers in a 119–117 loss to the Toronto Raptors.[55] McCollum missed 10 games over late March and early April with a left knee injury.[56] In Game 3 of the Trail Blazers' second-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, McCollum matched his career playoff high with 41 points during a 140–137 win in quadruple-overtime.[57] In Game 6, he scored 30 points in a 119–108 win, helping the Blazers tie the series against the Nuggets at 3–3.[58] In the deciding Game 7, he scored a game-high 37 points in a 100–96 win, including the game-sealing step back jumper with 15 seconds remaining, to help the Blazers advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2000.[59] Portland went on to lose the conference finals in a four-game sweep to the Warriors.[60]

On November 21, 2019, McCollum scored a then season-high 37 points, along with 6 rebounds and 10 assists, in a 137–129 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.[61] On February 23, 2020, he would surpass that season-high with a 41-point, 9-rebound, 12-assist performance in a 107–104 victory over the Detroit Pistons.[62] McCollum matched his season-high on March 2, scoring 41 points in a 130–107 win over the Orlando Magic.[63]

On December 26, 2020, McCollum scored a season-high 44 points, along with a game-winning three-pointer, in a 128–126 overtime win against the Houston Rockets.[64] On August 7, 2021, McCollum was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association, succeeding Chris Paul who had served since 2013.[65]

On December 7, 2021, McCollum was diagnosed with a pneumothorax and was ruled out indefinitely.[66] On January 17, 2022, he made his return from the injury, logging 16 points in a 98–88 win over the Orlando Magic.[67]

### New Orleans Pelicans (2022–present)

[edit]

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, Tomáš Satoranský, 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.[68] Two days later, McCollum made his Pelicans debut, putting up 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in a 112–97 loss to the Miami Heat.[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 113–103 and advancing New Orleans to the eight seed game.[70]

On September 24, 2022, McCollum agreed to a two-year, $64 million extension with the Pelicans.[71] On December 22, McCollum put up 40 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists in a 126–117 win over the San Antonio Spurs. 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.[72] On December 30, McCollum scored 42 points on 11 three-pointers in a 127–116 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. His 11 three-pointers were a Pelicans franchise record for the most three-pointers made in a game. With the Pelicans losing in the Play-in to the Minnesota Timberwolves this marked the first time that CJ McCollum missed the playoffs in his career.[73]

On November 2, 2023, McCollum scored a game-leading 33 points during a 125–116 win over the Detroit Pistons.[74]

## Career statistics

[edit]

Legend  GP  | Games played  |  GS | Games started  |  MPG | Minutes per game

|
|
|
|
|

FG% | Field goal percentage  |  3P% | 3-point field goal percentage  |  FT% | Free throw percentage
RPG | Rebounds per game  |  APG | Assists per game  |  SPG | Steals per game
BPG | Blocks per game  |  PPG | Points per game  |  Bold | Career high
* | Led the league |

### NBA

[edit]

#### Regular season

[edit]

Year  | Team  | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2013–14 | Portland | 38 | 0 | 12.5 | .416 | .375 | .676 | 1.3 | .7 | .4 | .1 | 5.3
2014–15 | Portland | 62 | 3 | 15.7 | .436 | .396 | .699 | 1.5 | 1.0 | .7 | .1 | 6.8
2015–16 | Portland | 80 | 80 | 34.7 | .448 | .417 | .827 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 1.2 | .3 | 20.8
2016–17 | Portland | 80 | 80 | 34.9 | .480 | .421 | .912* | 3.6 | 3.6 | .9 | .5 | 23.0
2017–18 | Portland | 81 | 81 | 36.1 | .443 | .397 | .836 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 1.0 | .4 | 21.4
2018–19 | Portland | 70 | 70 | 33.9 | .459 | .375 | .828 | 4.0 | 3.0 | .8 | .4 | 21.0
2019–20 | Portland | 70 | 70 | 36.5 | .451 | .379 | .757 | 4.2 | 4.4 | .8 | .6 | 22.2
2020–21 | Portland | 47 | 47 | 34.0 | .468 | .402 | .812 | 3.9 | 4.7 | .9 | .4 | 23.1
2021–22 | Portland | 36 | 36 | 35.2 | .436 | .384 | .706 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 1.0 | .6 | 20.5
New Orleans | 26 | 26 | 33.8 | .493 | .394 | .667 | 4.5 | 5.8 | 1.3 | .0 | 24.3
2022–23 | New Orleans | 75 | 75 | 35.3 | .437 | .389 | .769 | 4.4 | 5.7 | .9 | .5 | 20.9
2023–24 | New Orleans | 66 | 66 | 32.7 | .459 | .429 | .827 | 4.3 | 4.6 | .9 | .6 | 20.0
Career  | 731 | 634 | 32.1 | .454 | .399 | .806 | 3.6 | 3.8 | .9 | .4 | 19.5

#### Play-in

[edit]

Year  | Team  | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2020 | Portland | 1 | 1 | 44.2 | .579 | .429 | 1.000 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 29.0
2022 | New Orleans | 2 | 2 | 40.8 | .447 | .333 | .714 | 4.0 | 5.0 | .0 | 1.0 | 25.5
2023 | New Orleans | 1 | 1 | 40.6 | .333 | .200 | .750 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 14.0
2024 | New Orleans | 2 | 2 | 32.7 | .304 | .182 | — | 2.5 | 4.5 | .5 | 1.0 | 8.0
Career  | 6 | 6 | 38.6 | .423 | .286 | .800 | 3.0 | 4.0 | .8 | 1.0 | 18.3

#### Playoffs

[edit]

Year  | Team  | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2014 | Portland | 6 | 0 | 4.0 | .091 | .000 | 1.000 | .2 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .7
2015 | Portland | 5 | 1 | 33.2 | .478 | .478 | .769 | 4.0 | .4 | 1.2 | .2 | 17.0
2016 | Portland | 11 | 11 | 40.2 | .426 | .345 | .804 | 3.6 | 3.3 | .9 | .5 | 20.5
2017 | Portland | 4 | 4 | 35.1 | .400 | .500 | .938 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .5 | 22.5
2018 | Portland | 4 | 4 | 38.9 | .519 | .423 | .769 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 1.3 | .3 | 25.3
2019 | Portland | 16 | 16 | 39.7 | .440 | .393 | .732 | 5.0 | 3.7 | .8 | .6 | 24.7
2020 | Portland | 5 | 5 | 39.2 | .444 | .371 | .682 | 5.8 | 3.2 | 1.2 | .4 | 23.2
2021 | Portland | 6 | 6 | 39.9 | .439 | .333 | .769 | 6.0 | 4.3 | .3 | .7 | 20.7
2022 | New Orleans | 6 | 6 | 39.0 | .392 | .333 | .692 | 6.7 | 4.8 | .7 | .8 | 22.2
2024 | New Orleans | 4 | 4 | 36.9 | .419 | .241 | 1.000 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 1.8 | .8 | 17.8
Career  | 67 | 57 | 35.5 | .433 | .368 | .766 | 4.4 | 3.1 | .9 | .5 | 20.1

### College

[edit]

Year  | Team  | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2009–10 | Lehigh | 33 | 31 | 31.9 | .459 | .421 | .810 | 5.0 | 2.4 | 1.3 | .2 | 19.1
2010–11 | Lehigh | 31 | 31 | 34.6 | .399 | .315 | .845 | 7.8 | 2.1 | 2.5 | .7 | 21.8
2011–12 | Lehigh | 35 | 35 | 33.1 | .443 | .341 | .811 | 6.5 | 3.5 | 2.6 | .5 | 21.9
2012–13 | Lehigh | 12 | 11 | 31.0 | .495 | .516 | .849 | 5.0 | 2.9 | 1.4 | .3 | 23.9
Career  | 111 | 108 | 32.9 | .439 | .377 | .825 | 6.3 | 2.7 | 2.1 | .5 | 21.3

## Broadcasting career

[edit]

McCollum hosts a weekly podcast, Pull Up with CJ McCollum, that is produced by Cadence13.[75] It is co-hosted by ESPN analyst Jordan Schultz. McCollum has a podcast studio in his home and brings portable recording equipment with him when he is out of town.[76] Guests on the show have included Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony.[76][77] 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.[77]

On May 30, 2022, McCollum signed a multiplatform deal with ESPN to be an NBA analyst.[78]

## Personal life

[edit]

McCollum has been married to his college sweetheart Elise Esposito since October 27, 2020.[79] They have one son named Jacobi who was born on January 10, 2022.[80] McCollum's older brother, Errick, is also a professional basketball player. Off the court, McCollum has long taken a keen interest in journalism. As such, he has written articles concerning the NBA for various media outlets;[81] in one of his pieces, he interviewed the Commissioner of the league Adam Silver.[82]

McCollum is involved in his community as a radio personality and philanthropist. In 2016, he opened up the CJ McCollum Dream Center, which is an innovative learning room at the Blazers Boys & Girls Club outfitted with new computers, books, art, and learning tools. The Center aims to provide a safe and inspiring space for underserved youth to learn, explore, create, and grow.[83] 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.[84]

McCollum is a wine enthusiast.[85] During the NBA coronavirus bubble, he brought 84 bottles in with him and kept his hotel room temperature at 60 °F (16 °C) or below to protect it.[85] He has his own label, McCollum Heritage 91, named after the street he grew up on and his birth year.[85]

## See also

[edit]

* Sports portal

* List of NBA career 3-point scoring leaders
* List of NBA annual free throw percentage leaders
* List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career scoring leaders
* Portland Trail Blazers draft history

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "CJ McCollum Named Kia Most Improved Player". www.nba.com. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
2. ^ "Blazers send thanks to Aldridge, Matthews, Batum, and Lopez". RSN. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
3. ^ a b c d e f g Freeman, Joe (July 9, 2013). "McCollum's Desire is Just the Right Size: The Once-Slender Guard Has Blossomed into a Hard-Working Playmaker". The Oregonian. pp. D1, D4.
4. ^ a b c "Lehigh athletics biography". Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
5. ^ "Patriot League Men's Basketball All-League Teams and Awards Announced". Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
6. ^ "2011–12 Men's Basketball All-Patriot League Teams and Major Awards Announced". Patriot League. February 27, 2012. Archived from the original (Press release) on February 2, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
7. ^ Housenick, Tom (March 16, 2012). "NCAA basketball: Lehigh pulls off monumental upset of Duke". The Morning Call. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
8. ^ "C.J. McCollum: Why I'm returning to Lehigh for my senior year". SportingNews.com. April 9, 2012. Archived from the original on June 25, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
9. ^ "McCollum breaks record in 91–77 win at Sacred Heart". Lehigh University. November 25, 2012. Archived from the original on December 10, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
10. ^ "Hulls Named Finalist for Senior CLASS Award". IUHoosiers.com. February 6, 2013. Archived from the original on February 15, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
11. ^ "Lehigh alum C.J. McCollum named Kia NBA Most Improved Player". Lehigh University Athletics.
12. ^ "C.J. McCollum: 'More than just a basketball player'". Lehigh University.
13. ^ "Trail Blazers sign rookie CJ McCollum". OregonLive.com. July 11, 2013. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
14. ^ Schuhmann, John (August 26, 2013). "Magic's Oladipo among rookie favorites to stand out in 2013–14". NBA.com. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
15. ^ "Trail Blazers assign CJ McCollum to D-League". InsideHoops.com. January 1, 2014. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
16. ^ "Notebook: Blazers 110, Magic 94". NBA.com. January 8, 2014. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
17. ^ "C.J. McCollum 2013–14 Game Log". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
18. ^ "Trail Blazers Exercise Team Options On Meyers Leonard And CJ McCollum". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. October 27, 2014. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
19. ^ a b c d "CJ McCollum Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
20. ^ "Grizzlies advance, beating Trail Blazers 99–93 in Game 5". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 29, 2015. Archived from the original on October 15, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
21. ^ "Trail Blazers Exercise Team Options On McCollum, Plumlee and Vonleh". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. September 30, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
22. ^ "McCollum scores 37 as Blazers down Pelicans 112–94". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. October 28, 2015. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
23. ^ "McCollum scores 35 as Trail Blazers beat Kings 98–94". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. December 27, 2015. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
24. ^ "Randolph leads Grizzlies to 91–78 win over Trail Blazers". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. January 4, 2016. Archived from the original on January 2, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
25. ^ "CJ McCollum to Compete in Foot Locker Three-Point Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. February 12, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
26. ^ "McCollum has 30 as Trail Blazers beat Kings 115–107". NBA.com. April 5, 2016. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
27. ^ "Playoff destination sealed, Blazers beat Nuggets 107–99". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 13, 2016. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
28. ^ "Blazers' McCollum named Kia NBA Most Improved Player". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 22, 2016. Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
29. ^ "Splash Brothers Curry, Thompson send Warriors to West finals". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. May 11, 2016. Archived from the original on May 12, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
30. ^ "Trail Blazers Sign CJ McCollum to Contract Extension". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. July 27, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
31. ^ "Lillard scores 39, Blazers run home-opening win streak to 16". ESPN.com. October 25, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
32. ^ "Lillard hits floater, Blazers beat Nuggets 115–113 in OT". ESPN.com. October 29, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
33. ^ "McCollum matches career high, Blazers beat Grizzlies 100–94". ESPN.com. November 6, 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
34. ^ "McCollum scores 33 points, Trail Blazers beat Nets 129–109". ESPN.com. November 20, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
35. ^ "George has 37 points to lead Pacers over Blazers 118–111". ESPN.com. December 10, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
36. ^ "McCollum has 43 points, Trail Blazers top Timberwolves 95–89". ESPN.com. January 1, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
37. ^ "Vucevic's season-high 30 lead Magic past Blazers, 115–109". ESPN.com. January 13, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
38. ^ "McCollum's winner sends Blazers past Mavs 114–113". ESPN.com. February 7, 2017. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
39. ^ "Blazers beat Nuggets to take 1-game lead for 8th seed". ESPN.com. March 28, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
40. ^ "Durant shines in Warriors playoff debut in Game 1 win". ESPN.com. April 16, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
41. ^ "Blazers hand Suns worst loss ever in season opener, 124–76". ESPN.com. October 18, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
42. ^ "McCollum's scores 28 in Blazers' 114–96 win over Pacers". ESPN.com. October 20, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
43. ^ "Evans, Conley help Grizzlies hold off Trail Blazers 98–97". ESPN.com. November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
44. ^ "McCollum helps Blazers to 108–105 comeback win over Wizards". ESPN.com. November 25, 2017. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
45. ^ "McCollum scores 32, leads Blazers over Bulls 124–120 in OT". ESPN.com. January 1, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
46. ^ a b "McCollum scores 50 in 3 quarters, Blazers beat Bulls 124–108". ESPN.com. January 31, 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
47. ^ "MarShon Brooks scores 21 as Grizzlies beat Blazers 108–103". ESPN.com. March 28, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
48. ^ "Davis' 47 points leads Pelicans to sweep of Trail Blazers". ESPN.com. April 21, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
49. ^ "McCollum scores 40 as Trail Blazers beat Bucks 118–103". ESPN.com. November 6, 2018. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
50. ^ "Conley leads late rally as Grizzlies defeat Portland 92–83". ESPN.com. December 12, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
51. ^ "Lillard scores 33, Trail Blazers top Mavericks 121–118 in OT". ESPN.com. December 23, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
52. ^ "McCollum leads Trail Blazers in 129–95 rout of 76ers". ESPN.com. December 30, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
53. ^ "George nets 36, Westbrook 29 as Thunder tops Blazers 123–114". ESPN.com. January 22, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
54. ^ "McCollum has triple-double, Trail Blazers beat Hawks 120–111". ESPN.com. January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
55. ^ "Leonard hits winner, Raptors beat Trail Blazers 119–117". ESPN.com. March 1, 2019. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
56. ^ "Lillard scores 30 points, Trail Blazers beat Nuggets 115–108". ESPN.com. April 7, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
57. ^ "Blazers go up 2–1 after 140–137 win in 4 OTs over Denver". ESPN.com. May 3, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
58. ^ "Blazers force Game 7 with 119–108 victory over Denver". ESPN.com. May 9, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
59. ^ "McCollum leads Blazers past Nuggets 100–96". ESPN.com. May 12, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
60. ^ "Warriors beat Blazers 119–117 in OT for NBA Finals berth". ESPN.com. May 20, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
61. ^ "Trail Blazers vs. Bucks - Game Summary - November 21, 2019 - ESPN".
62. ^ "McCollum, Anthony carry Blazers past Pistons, 107-104". FOX Sports.
63. ^ "Trail Blazers' CJ McCollum: Lights up Magic for 41". www.cbssports.com.
64. ^ Patel, Aayush (December 26, 2020). "VIDEO: CJ McCollum's game-winning three spoils James Harden's OT heroics". ClutchPoints. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
65. ^ Wojnarowski, Adrian (August 7, 2021). "Portland Trail Blazers' CJ McCollum elected NBPA president". ESPN. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
66. ^ "CJ MCCOLLUM DIAGNOSED WITH A PNEUMOTHORAX". Portland Trail Blazers. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
67. ^ "Portland Trail Blazers vs Orlando Magic Jan 17, 2022 Game Summary". NBA. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
68. ^ "Trail Blazers Complete Trade With New Orleans" (Press release). Portland Trail Blazers. February 8, 2022.
69. ^ TraBeTa (February 10, 2022). "Pelicans winning streak snapped by Heat in McCollum's debut, lose 112-97". SB Nation. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
70. ^ Paul Kasabian (April 14, 2022). "CJ McCollum, Pelicans Beat Dejounte Murray, Spurs in 2022 NBA Play-in Tournament". Bleacher Report. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
71. ^ "CJ McCollum agrees to 2-year extension with Pelicans". nba.com. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
72. ^ Yapkowitz, David (December 22, 2022). "CJ McCollum etches name in Pelicans history with monster game vs. Spurs". ClutchPoints. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
73. ^ Pagaduan, Jedd (December 30, 2022). "Pelicans star Zion Williamson reveals what made CJ McCollum's 42-point explosion 'beautiful'". ClutchPoints. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
74. ^ McCollum, 33 points, leads Pels over Pistons 125-116
75. ^ Mickanen, Dylan (April 16, 2020). "CJ McCollum in favor of playing out the rest of the season at a single site". Northwest Sports. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
76. ^ a b Cacciola, Scott (October 22, 2019). "C.J. McCollum's 'Healthy Habits': Yoga, Wine and Podcasting". The New York Times. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
77. ^ a b Goldberg, Jamie (March 13, 2020). "CJ McCollum reacts to NBA suspending season, remains hopeful that season will resume". The Oregonian. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
78. ^ "New Orleans Pelicans' CJ McCollum joining ESPN as an NBA analyst". ESPN. Associated Press. May 30, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
79. ^ "CJ McCollum and Elise Esposito's Wedding Was an Intimate Affair in Oregon Wine Country". January 6, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
80. ^ "CJ and Elise McCollum welcome son Jacobi James McCollum". January 17, 2022. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
81. ^ "C.J. McCollum: 'More Than Just a Basketball Player'". June 27, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
82. ^ "CJ Sits Down with the Commish". NBA. July 9, 2014. Archived from the original on April 19, 2015. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
83. ^ "CJ McCollum Dream Center Opens at Blazers Boys & Girls Club". November 8, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
84. ^ "Portland's CJ McCollum is a Silent Assassin on the Court and a Blooming Journalist Off of it". February 10, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
85. ^ a b c Davis, Scott (June 25, 2020). "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". Insider. Retrieved August 27, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to C.J. McCollum.

* Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
* Lehigh Mountain Hawks bio

* v
* t
* e

New Orleans Pelicans roster

* 1 Williamson
* 2 Jones
* 3 McCollum
* 4 Green
* 5 Murray
* 8 Cain (TW)
* 10 Theis
* 11 Boston (TW)
* 12 Reeves
* 14 Ingram
* 15 Alvarado
* 17 Matković
* 20 Nowell
* 21 Missi
* 24 Hawkins
* 25 Murphy
* 50 Robinson-Earl
* 55 Jemison (TW)

* Head coach: Green
* Assistant coaches: Borrego
* Brewer
* Collins
* Geriot
* Hill
* Lazare
* Meeks
* Miles

Links to related articles

* v
* t
* e

NBA Most Improved Player

* 1986: Robertson
* 1987: D. Ellis
* 1988: Duckworth
* 1989: Johnson
* 1990: Seikaly
* 1991: Skiles
* 1992: Ellison
* 1993: Jackson
* 1994: MacLean
* 1995: Barros
* 1996: Mureşan
* 1997: Austin
* 1998: Henderson
* 1999: Armstrong
* 2000: Rose
* 2001: McGrady
* 2002: O'Neal
* 2003: Arenas
* 2004: Randolph
* 2005: Simmons
* 2006: Diaw
* 2007: M. Ellis
* 2008: Türkoğlu
* 2009: Granger
* 2010: Brooks
* 2011: Love
* 2012: Anderson
* 2013: George
* 2014: Dragić
* 2015: Butler
* 2016: McCollum
* 2017: Antetokounmpo
* 2018: Oladipo
* 2019: Siakam
* 2020: Ingram
* 2021: Randle
* 2022: Morant
* 2023: Markkanen
* 2024: Maxey

* v
* t
* e

J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award

* 1975: Unseld
* 1976: Watts
* 1977: Bing
* 1978: Lanier
* 1979: Murphy
* 1980: Carr
* 1981: Glenn
* 1982: Benson
* 1983: Erving
* 1984: Layden
* 1985: Issel
* 1986: Cooper & Sparrow
* 1987: Thomas
* 1988: English
* 1989: Bailey
* 1990: Rivers
* 1991: K. Johnson
* 1992: M. Johnson
* 1993: Porter
* 1994: Dumars
* 1995: O'Toole
* 1996: Dudley
* 1997: Brown
* 1998: Smith
* 1999: Grant
* 2000: Divac
* 2001: Mutombo
* 2002: Mourning
* 2003: Robinson
* 2004: Miller
* 2005: Snow
* 2006: Garnett
* 2007: Nash
* 2008: Billups
* 2009: Mutombo
* 2010: Dalembert
* 2011: Artest
* 2012: Gasol
* 2013: Faried
* 2014: Deng
* 2015: Noah
* 2016: Ellington
* 2017: James
* 2018: Barea
* 2019: Lillard
* 2020: Brogdon
* 2023: Curry
* 2024: McCollum

* v
* t
* e

National Basketball Players Association presidents

* Bob Cousy (1954–1958)
* Tom Heinsohn (1958–1965)
* Oscar Robertson (1965–1974)
* Paul Silas (1974–1980)
* Bob Lanier (1980–1985)
* Junior Bridgeman (1985–1988)
* Alex English (1988)
* Isiah Thomas (1988–1994)
* Buck Williams (1994–1997)
* Patrick Ewing (1997–2001)
* Michael Curry (2001–2005)
* Antonio Davis (2005–2006)
* Derek Fisher (2006–2013)
* Chris Paul (2013–2021)
* CJ McCollum (2021–)

* v
* t
* e

2013 NBA draft

First round|

* Anthony Bennett
* Victor Oladipo
* Otto Porter
* Cody Zeller
* Alex Len
* Nerlens Noel
* Ben McLemore
* Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
* Trey Burke
* CJ McCollum
* Michael Carter-Williams
* Steven Adams
* Kelly Olynyk
* Shabazz Muhammad
* Giannis Antetokounmpo
* Lucas Nogueira
* Dennis Schröder
* Shane Larkin
* Sergey Karasev
* Tony Snell
* Gorgui Dieng
* Mason Plumlee
* Solomon Hill
* Tim Hardaway Jr.
* Reggie Bullock
* André Roberson
* Rudy Gobert
* Livio Jean-Charles
* Archie Goodwin
* Nemanja Nedović

Second round|

* Allen Crabbe
* Álex Abrines
* Carrick Felix
* Isaiah Canaan
* Glen Rice Jr.
* Ray McCallum Jr.
* Tony Mitchell
* Nate Wolters
* Jeff Withey
* Grant Jerrett
* Jamaal Franklin
* Pierre Jackson
* Ricky Ledo
* Mike Muscala
* Marko Todorović
* Erick Green
* Raul Neto
* Ryan Kelly
* Erik Murphy
* James Ennis
* Romero Osby
* Lorenzo Brown
* Colton Iverson
* Arsalan Kazemi
* Joffrey Lauvergne
* Peyton Siva
* Alex Oriakhi
* Deshaun Thomas
* Bojan Dubljević
* Jānis Timma

* v
* t
* e

Patriot League Men's Basketball Player of the Year

* 1991: Lopez
* 1992: King
* 1993: Bright
* 1994: Neale
* 1995: Feaster
* 1996: Foyle
* 1997: Foyle
* 1998: Ciosici
* 1999: Ehlers
* 2000: Ehlers
* 2001: Szatko
* 2002: Doctor
* 2003: Whearty
* 2004: Rowland
* 2005: Hamilton
* 2006: Lee
* 2007: Simmons
* 2008: Sprink
* 2009: Mercer
* 2010: McCollum
* 2011: Muscala
* 2012: McCollum
* 2013: Muscala
* 2014: Ayers
* 2015: Kempton
* 2016: Kempton
* 2017: Foulland
* 2018: Thomas
* 2019: Ivanauskas
* 2020: Nelson
* 2021: Burns
* 2022: Mathon
* 2023: Richardson
* 2024: Smith

*[GP]: Games played
*[GS]: Games started
*[MPG]: Minutes per game
*[FG%]: Field goal percentage
*[3P%]: 3-point field-goal percentage
*[FT%]: Free-throw percentage
*[RPG]: Rebounds per game
*[APG]: Assists per game
*[SPG]: Steals per game
*[BPG]: Blocks per game
*[PPG]: Points per game
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template