CJ McCollum facts for kids
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McCollum at the 2022 Three-Point Contest
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| No. 3 – New Orleans Pelicans | |
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| Shooting guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | September 19, 1991 Canton, Ohio, U.S. |
| High school | GlenOak (Canton, Ohio) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Lehigh (2009–2013) |
| NBA Draft | 2013 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10th overall |
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | |
| Pro career | 2013–present |
| League | NBA |
| Career history | |
| 2013–2022 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2014 | →Idaho Stampede |
| 2022–present | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Christian James McCollum (born September 19, 1991) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the New Orleans Pelicans in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Lehigh Mountain Hawks. He was named the best player in the Patriot League in both 2010 and 2012.
The Portland Trail Blazers picked McCollum as the tenth overall player in the 2013 NBA draft. In 2016, he won the NBA Most Improved Player award. In 2022, after nine years with the Blazers, McCollum was traded to the Pelicans. He also became the president of the National Basketball Players Association in 2021.
Contents
CJ McCollum's Early Basketball Days
High School Journey
CJ McCollum played high school basketball at GlenOak High School in Canton, Ohio. When he was a freshman in 2005, he was quite small, only 5 feet 2 inches tall. Despite his size, he played on the main varsity team. He used his speed and athletic skills to compete.
McCollum grew a lot during high school. He gained five inches by his second year and four more by his third year. This growth helped colleges notice his talent. In his first game as a junior, he scored an amazing 54 points. This set new records for his school and county.
He worked hard to improve his shooting. By his senior year, he averaged 29.3 points per game. McCollum became the top scorer in Golden Eagles history with 1,405 career points. He was also named Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year in his final season (2008–09).
College Career at Lehigh
McCollum played four seasons at Lehigh University. As a freshman in 2009–10, he quickly made a big impact. He averaged 19.1 points and 5 rebounds per game. He was the top freshman scorer in the entire nation. He was also the first player in Patriot League history to be named both Player and Rookie of the Year.
He led the Mountain Hawks to the NCAA tournament in 2010. There, he scored 26 points against a top-ranked Kansas team. As a sophomore, his scoring increased to 21.8 points per game. He was named First Team All-Conference.
In his junior year (2011–12), McCollum was again named Patriot League Player of the Year. In 2012, his team made history by beating the Duke Blue Devils 75–70 in the NCAA tournament. McCollum scored 30 points in that game. This was only the sixth time a 15th-seeded team beat a 2nd-seeded team.
McCollum gained 30 pounds of muscle during college. Even though he could have left early for the NBA, he chose to finish his degree. He even wrote an article for Sporting News explaining why he stayed. On November 25, 2012, he became the Patriot League's all-time leading scorer. Sadly, his senior season ended early when he broke his left foot in January 2013. He graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in Journalism.
College Awards and Honors
- 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)
- Patriot League's all-time leading scorer (2361 points)
CJ McCollum's NBA Career
Starting with the Portland Trail Blazers (2013–2022)
CJ McCollum was the first player from Lehigh to enter the NBA. The Portland Trail Blazers picked him tenth overall in the 2013 NBA draft. He signed his first contract on July 11, 2013. He then played in the NBA Summer League, averaging 21 points per game.
McCollum missed the first six weeks of his rookie season due to a foot injury. He made his NBA debut on January 8, 2014, scoring 4 points. On February 8, he scored a season-high 19 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In his second season (2014–15), he played 62 games. He averaged 6.8 points per game. In a playoff game against the Memphis Grizzlies, he scored a career-high 33 points.
Becoming the Most Improved Player (2015–2016)
In the 2015–16 season, McCollum became a starting player. He joined star point guard Damian Lillard in the backcourt. He played in all 80 games and averaged 20.8 points per game. In the first game of the season, he scored a career-high 37 points against the New Orleans Pelicans.
When Lillard was injured in December, McCollum stepped up as the main point guard. On December 27, he scored 35 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and made 9 assists. This was a huge performance! He was invited to the All-Star Weekend's Three-Point Contest.
By the end of the season, McCollum averaged 20.8 points per game. He and Lillard became the first backcourt in Blazers' history to both average over 20 points. McCollum won the NBA Most Improved Player Award for his amazing season.
He helped the Blazers win their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers. However, they lost to the Golden State Warriors in the second round.
Playoff Challenges (2016–2018)
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On July 27, 2016, McCollum signed a new four-year contract with Portland. He averaged 23 points per game in the 2016–17 season. On November 6, he matched his career-high with 37 points against the Memphis Grizzlies. On January 1, he set a new career-high with 43 points against the Timberwolves.
In the 2017 playoffs, McCollum scored 41 points in Game 1 against the Warriors. This was his best playoff game score. He became only the eighth Blazer to score 40 points in a playoff game.
For the 2017–18 season, McCollum averaged 21.4 points. On January 31, 2018, he scored a franchise-record 28 points in the first quarter alone. He finished that game with a career-high 50 points in just three quarters! He joined a special group of Blazers players who scored 50 points or more. In the playoffs, the Blazers were swept by the New Orleans Pelicans.
Conference Finals and Final Years in Portland (2018–2022)
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In the 2018–19 season, McCollum averaged 21 points. On November 6, 2018, he scored 40 points against the Milwaukee Bucks. On January 26, 2019, he achieved his first career triple-double. He had 28 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds against the Atlanta Hawks.
In the 2019 playoffs, McCollum had another great game. He scored 41 points in a quadruple-overtime win against the Denver Nuggets. In Game 7 of that series, he scored 37 points to help the Blazers reach the Western Conference Finals. This was the first time they made it that far since 2000! They eventually lost to the Warriors.
On December 26, 2020, McCollum scored a season-high 44 points. He also hit a game-winning three-pointer in overtime against the Houston Rockets. On August 7, 2021, he was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association.
In December 2021, McCollum was diagnosed with a pneumothorax (a collapsed lung). He returned to play on January 17, 2022.
Joining the New Orleans Pelicans (2022–Present)
On February 8, 2022, McCollum was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. He made his Pelicans debut two days later. On April 13, in the NBA play-in tournament, he scored 32 points. This helped the Pelicans beat the San Antonio Spurs and advance.
On September 24, 2022, McCollum signed a contract extension with the Pelicans. On December 22, he scored 40 points, with 8 rebounds and 9 assists. On December 30, he scored 42 points and made 11 three-pointers. This set a new Pelicans franchise record for most three-pointers in a game! In 2023, the Pelicans missed the playoffs, which was the first time McCollum had missed them in his career.
On November 2, 2023, McCollum scored 33 points in a win against the Detroit Pistons. On January 3, 2025, he tied his career-high with 50 points in a win over the Washington Wizards.
Broadcasting and Personal Life
Broadcasting Career
CJ McCollum hosts a weekly podcast called Pull Up with CJ McCollum. He even has a podcast studio at home! Famous guests like Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony have been on his show. In March 2020, he was recording when he learned the NBA season was stopping due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In May 2022, McCollum signed a deal with ESPN. He now works as an NBA analyst, sharing his basketball knowledge.
Personal Life and Community Work
McCollum is married to his college sweetheart, Elise Esposito. They got married on October 27, 2020. They have a son named Jacobi, born in January 2022. CJ's older brother, Errick, is also a professional basketball player.
CJ is very interested in journalism. He has written articles about the NBA for different media outlets. He even interviewed the NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver.
He is also very involved in his community. In 2016, he opened the CJ McCollum Dream Center. This is a special learning room at the Blazers Boys & Girls Club. It has new computers, books, and art supplies. It gives a safe place for young people to learn and grow. He also helps young journalists through "CJ's Press Pass." This program lets aspiring journalists attend press conferences and get advice from media members.
McCollum loves wine! During the NBA coronavirus bubble, he brought 84 bottles of wine with him. He even kept his hotel room cool to protect them. He has his own wine label called McCollum Heritage 91. It's named after the street he grew up on and his birth year.
Images for kids
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McCollum at the 2022 Three-Point Contest
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McCollum playing for Lehigh in 2012
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McCollum in 2015
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McCollum in 2018
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McCollum warms up during a game with the Trail Blazers in 2018
