But he doesnt need anyones validation, acknowledgement or praise to fuel his passion for basketball. 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. The first-ever Playoffs series win vs. the Clippers in 2016. McCollum deserves the honor and has time to prove it this 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 200809 season. Ive got to set the precedent on how we got to compete on both ends. During his third year in the league in 2015-16, he was named the NBA Most Improved Player [1] . He attended Glendora High School in Glendora, California, where he played basketball. [73], McCollum hosts a weekly podcast, Pull Up with CJ McCollum, that is produced by Cadence13. Ingram's personal update explained how it would be hard to tell exactly when he'd be ready. 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. [8], On November 25, 2012, McCollum scored 26 points in a 9177 win over Sacred Heart to pass Rob Feaster as the Patriot League's all-time leading scorer. Its going to be a roller coaster. It has been almost one year since the Pelicans traded for McCollum and Larry Nance Jr. The list of things going right for Portland is pretty small. [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. "It's cool to compete against your peers and your friends and people that you respect and you worked with. Despite averaging 26.7 points, 5.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 44.1% from three, all career highs, McCollums name was missing from the list of reserves for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. Shooting Guard No real explanation why; w/ some players it just never feels smart counting them out.Take a look at his rsum in elimination matchups w/ the Blazers. McCollum is not an out-of-the-blue candidate either. Itll be what its going to be.. The former NBA Most Improved Player in 2015-16 has. Its all the work I put in. 6 overall in 2012, they took McCollum with another lottery pick (No. He is one of the best players of his generation to have never earned a nod. [19] During a first-round playoff loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Game 5, McCollum scored a then career-high of 33 points. Maybe, the former Most Improved Player will finally get the first All-Star nod of his career. Two nights later, he had 38 points in a loss to the Boston Celtics. Before joining The Athletic, he was a writer at The Times-Picayune/NOLA Media Group, and he's been on the Pelicans beat since 2016. Portland Trail Blazers Damian Lillard, who was snubbed as an All-Star starter, was a shoe-in. [61] On February 23, 2020, he would surpass that season-high with a 41-point, 9-rebound, 12-assist performance in a 107104 victory over the Detroit Pistons. I want him to be the best version of himself, McCollum said of his backcourt mate. [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. The Thunder opened up a double-digit lead midway through the second and a 70.6 percent win probability at that before the Blazers star duo did what expectations suggested they should: This sequence by Damian Lillard is still iconic pic.twitter.com/yZfuiLLfWx. props to bro, he tried to stop B.I. In subsequent press conferences, the two would even grow to develop similar mannerisms, complementing one another along the way. Every ticket you donate goes to someone who wouldnt have been able to see the Blazers play without you! 7 in minutes played (15,030). Still, McCollum not even making the top ten? Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and . McCollum played college basketball for the Lehigh Mountain Hawks and was named the Patriot League Player of the Year in both 2010 and 2012. 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. (31-33, 10th place in NBA Western Conference). McCollum looked like a bonafide All-Star before suffering a left mid-foot fracture that sidelined him for nearly two months. The win moved New Orleans to 1.5 games ahead of Portland in the West. When the NBA on TNT crew asked the Trail Blazers star about his mentality and supporting his teammates despite not getting an All-Star nod, McCollum said he doesnt need others to validate his body of work. Listed as out for the Pelicans are Zion Williamson (right hamstring strain), Dyson Daniels (right ankle sprain) and E.J. September 19, Can you help us send children in need to see the Blazers play the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, March 29th? Odds & lines subject to change. [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. Off the court, McCollum has long taken a keen interest in journalism. 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. Over the first 11 games, McCollum averaged 28.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game on 47-44-84 splits. [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 100 scoring run to overcome a 17-point deficit and defeat the Washington Wizards, 108105. My teammates did a good job of finding me and giving me those opportunities. 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. I get paid like an All-Star, McCollum said. So I was just trying to take it all in.. It's also available for football, hockey and baseball. A wave to instruct the crowd to get loud followed. Obviously, thats a tough matchup for anybody. This stood in contrast to the previous regime of Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge, with the latter being more reclusive, or that of say, Rasheed Wallace and Scottie Pippen, given the Jail Blazers storyline and the subsequent temperature of the media. [14] McCollum sat out the first six weeks of the regular season with a foot injury. [37]) On February 7, McCollum scored 32 points; the last two of which, on a runner from the top of the lane, clinched the 114113 win over the Dallas Mavericks with 0.9 seconds left. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. I mean. The Rachel Nichols interview ahead of the 2019 Playoffs. Among some highlights: The chemistry proved tangible. [57] In Game 6, he scored 30 points in a 119108 win, helping the Blazers tie the series against the Nuggets at 33. [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. McCollum, who is in his 10th season, has never been named an All-Star. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. [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. Now McCollum has the opportunity to step into a bigger role at least until Ingram returns and the pair can build off of their playoff chemistry. 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. "@CJMcCollum speaks with the crew after Portland's win. Despite. McCollum doesnt only dispense advice. 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. Throwing different looks, scrambling (and) multiple efforts.. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. "At first, it was weird," Lillard said following the game.. "It felt like practice a little bit, a couple of the matchups." NBA NEWS: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers, CJ McCollum & New Orleans Pelicans Updates The Pelicans made a visit to the great northwest last season after the trade deadline, but Lillard was sidelined following surgery on his abdominal. CJ McCollum Getting Snubbed in NBA All-Star Voting - Sports Illustrated New Orleans Pelicans News, Analysis, and More CJ McCollum Getting Snubbed By NBA All-Star Game Voters CJ. But I think its about team success. 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. We were able to get to it and we liked what we saw. Michael Reaves/Getty Images) I would say this is the most unique position we've been in probably since I was traded here, to be honest. It's about respecting the game, playing hard and giving all you've got.". 7. I Broke My Back, Spinal! Play-In Game, 2020 vs. MEM. McCollum is still finding his rhythm since returning to the Trail Blazers lineup. Then Ill enjoy a nice vacation with my wife. He was an All-Star just once. 8 (428) and No. The Chris Haynes Interview on ESPN March 2018. Gambling problem? Shoots: I think that was the desperation we need to play with moving forward. His 11 three-pointers were a Pelicans franchise record for the most three-pointers made in a game. Damian Lillard. home/away, monthly, etc More CJ McCollum Basketball Reference pages, 2022-23 Pelicans CJ McCollum averages 21.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. [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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Per NBA.com, the lineup of McCollum, Ingram, Jones, Naji Marshall and Trey Murphy outscored the Pelicans by nine points in the eight minutes it played. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. #NBAPlayoffs #RipCity pic.twitter.com/jT0rBQgcJS. Sports Illustrated's 38th-best player last season. The NBA's hands are tied concerning the fan vote but making the game as a coach's selection or even an injury replacement would be a tip of the cap to what has been an outstanding, yet sometimes overshadowed, career. [62] McCollum matched his season-high on March 2, scoring 41 points in a 130107 win over the Orlando Magic. 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. The Pelicans (26-17) still sit in third place in the West. Jordan Poole getting on the same star list as teammates Klay Thompson and Curry? However lively the yearly trade-deadline chatter might be, there's a reason CJ McCollum is still in Portland. 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. I understand the work he puts in and he understands the work I put in, and we continue to empower each other., CJ McCollum says he doesnt care if he never makes an All-Star Game, heres why, McCollum looked like a bonafide All-Star before suffering a left mid-foot fracture that sidelined him for nearly two months. In celebration for those, we look back at eight-and-a-half of their greatest moments in tandem. Vote here: https://n. [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. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Unfortunately CJ McCollum has fallen victim of being one of the outsiders looking at the All-Star Game through a pane of glass unfairly. 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. [81], McCollum is involved in his community as a radio personality and philanthropist. 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]. [60], On November 21, 2019, McCollum scored a then season-high 37 points, along with 6 rebounds and 10 assists, in a 137129 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Damian Lillard and Devin Booker are totally understandable choices. For reference: the Blazers had gone 1-12 in the 13 postseason games prior, leaving them short on confidence among the national media. 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. Final #NBAAllStar Fan Voting Results pic.twitter.com/Ijz1dswNho. To open the 2020-21 campaign, the talented two-guard played as if that stat was on his psyche. He knew the Pelicans plan was to wear Lillard down throughout the game. Major League Baseball sent a warning shot on Friday to Republicans considering new laws to restrict voting, pulling its summer All-Star game out of suburban Atlanta in . If it happens, thats great. Among players to log at least 500 games, McCollum's 19.4 points per game scoring average ranks No. 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. McCollum is not known for his defense, but he said he has so much familiarity with Lillards game that he wanted to take on that responsibility early on. 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. Dame Lillard (34) & CJ McCollum (41) combine for 75 @TrailBlazers points. CJ McCollum is getting snubbed in the NBA All-Star Game fan vote. And he didn't even spend his whole time with that team wearing the number they retired in his honor. Ingram put on a shot-making clinic against a Portland defense that could not prevent him from getting anywhere he wanted. Steph Curry and Luka Doncic as the top two backcourt options makes complete sense. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. Knowing that if we blitz (Lillard) with Willy and (Jaxson Hayes), what if we go with Herb at the five? Pels coach Willie Green said. Im going to be more consistent. McCollum scored a season-high 42 points to go along with a franchise-record 11 made three-pointers. As a senior, he was named a McDonald's All-American, averaging 24.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.7 steals per game. [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. The peak of the powers game, simultaneously, would likely be Game Six, in which McCollum (30 points, six rebounds) and Lillard (32 points, five assists, six 3-pointers) matched both efficiency and a feel for the moment, the former of which they sometimes struggled with. 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? 1 all-time for players never making an appearance in the star-studded exhibition game. That means sometimes I might have it going, but hes the closer. [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. Theres: (1) The Rodney Hood Game, the 4OT thriller in Game Three, (3) The CJ McCollum Game, the Game 7 comeback. [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. In 2022, McCollum was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, ending his nine year run with the Blazers. We have great human beings in here. [83], McCollum is a wine enthusiast. 1991 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. 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. Damian Lillard spoke about the Blazers trading CJ McCollum pic.twitter.com/KGgKUasAex. When McCollum made his first visit back to Portland last March, Lillard was sidelined by season-ending surgery to repair an abdominal injury. As such, he has written articles concerning the NBA for various media outlets;[80] in one of his pieces, he interviewed the Commissioner of the league Adam Silver. [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 140137 win in quadruple-overtime. 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. He has nine years of those experiences working alongside Damian Lillard. once 30-8 and No. I guess we got lucky. Over the season, McCollum has averaged 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and 3.0 three-pointers on 43/40/79 shooting splits, providing some much-needed veteran leadership as well. You dont get to have these moments forever. 20 of ESPNs analysts made picks for this series, 19 of them siding with Oklahoma City. That lineup looked so active and disruptive together that Green almost has no choice but to consider using it more, especially if Valanciunas continues to sit with his calf issue. Join our linker program. Meanwhile, Anthony has been playing fairly at 36-years-old with the Blazers. Bleacher Report Floats Bridges, ONeale Trade to the Trail Blazers. The organization is doing a good job of picking its characters up.. [3], McCollum played at the private research school Lehigh University for four seasons. 3. Because so many special moments followed each other, one after another in the 2019 Western Conference Semifinals, well cheat. CJ McCollum is on Instagram at 3jmccollum. 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. It . 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. I am going to make plays. [35] He set another career-high for points scored with 43 on January 1 during a 9589 win over the Timberwolves. With so many to choose from, its likely that many slipped through the cracks or have more significant backstories than others. McCollum is shooting a healthy 40.1% on catch-and-shoot 3s this season. McCollum is making $33.3 million this season. "Just like practice, only a longer game, a couple more foul calls and fans there," he said. 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. inCanton,Ohio New Orleans 10-year veteran guard CJ McCollum was sidelined during Monday's win at Oklahoma City due to a right ankle sprain, and is listed as questionable to play Wednesday against the Los. The Pelicans coaching staff also showed the necessary desperation in the fourth quarter as they looked for answers to slow Lillard in the pick-and-roll. CJ McCollum has started the 2021 season on a high. CJ is big on that, backup point guard Jose Alvarado said. As McCollum dressed at his locker, Jaxson Hayes screamed, Second team All-Defense, CJ McCollum! The loss eliminated Portland from the playoffs, the last in a four-game sweep. 6. The peak of that stretch came in a 128-126 thriller over the Houston Rockets, in which McCollum poured in 44 points, eight assists and nine 3-pointers, and Lillard provided reinforcement with 32 points, five rebounds and nine assists, the last of which proved to be the most important. [79] McCollum's older brother, Errick, is also a professional basketball player. [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, 11094. Im always focused on getting to my spots and knocking down the shots I work on every day in the gym. He has been a marquee name for over a decade and since becoming a starter in 2015 McCollum has averaged over 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists on 40% shooting behind the arc. [40], McCollum missed the opener of the 201718 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. And if not, Ill be out there for some meetings anyway. 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. There are 21 games over the next 6 weeks to garner some more fan votes. [17], On October 27, 2014, Portland exercised their third-year team option to extended McCollum's rookie scale contract through 201516. [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. Desperate times may call for desperate measures. -The first set of fan votes are in for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City. 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. C.J. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Long pigeonholed into the very good but not-good-enough category of a team's second-best . Though, if there were a measuring stick, his eight-game stretch from Jan. 17 to Feb. 1, 2020 might be it. McCollum had to sit out four games due to being in the NBA's health and safety protocol program but he has led the New Orleans Pelicans with an unquestionable leadership style and scoring savvy that deserves recognition. Williamson is now on the shelf for at least three weeks and Ingram's timetable to return is unknown. For those who can remember at the time, it offered a look into sides of the Blazers duo that hadnt been seen as often. [46] On March 28, McCollum had a 42-point effort, which came in a 108103 loss to the Grizzlies. All eyes were on McCollum and Lillard going into this game as they shared the court for the first time since last Februarys trade. [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. CJ McCollum shows off vision with nice pass vs. Atlanta Hawks. [22] After injury decommissioned Lillard in late December, McCollum filled in as the primary point guard. [25] On April 5, he posted his eighth 30-point game of the season, during a 115107 win over Sacramento. As a freshman in 2005, he was considerably undersized, standing at only 5ft 2in (1.57m). closest McCollum's come to the All-Star courts were the 2016 and 2017 three-point contests. The former Portland Trail Blazers star was also an AP All-American in college and the 2016 NBA Most Improved Player.