Portland's backcourt partner — Most Improved Player and a consistent scorer across 11 NBA seasons.
CJ McCollum was born in Canton, Ohio in 1991. Portland Trail Blazers selected him 10th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft after four years at Lehigh University. He won the Most Improved Player award in 2016, improving his scoring average from 6.8 to 20.8 points per game. His 11-season career has produced 20.2 points per game and one All-Star appearance. His partnership with Damian Lillard at Portland created one of the most productive scoring backcourts in the NBA for several years. He scored 40 or more points on multiple occasions including a 50-point game. He was traded to New Orleans in 2022 and continued as a reliable 20-point scorer. Away from basketball he launched a wine label, studied journalism and was elected vice president of the National Basketball Players Association — demonstrating a range of intellectual and entrepreneurial interests beyond the game.
Explosive scoring guard and Most Improved Player winner
How They Played
Prolific scorer with excellent three-point shooting and ball-handling skills
Lasting Impact
Dynamic shooting guard who became a consistent scorer and playmaker
All-Star 1x
Career Honours
- All-Star 1x
- Most Improved Player (2016)