CJ McCollum

CJ McCollum

33-Year-Old GuardG
New Orleans Pelicans
Out
Injury Thigh
Est. Return 11/16/2024
2024 Fantasy Outlook
McCollum posted a decent stat line in the 2023-24 season after averaging 20.0 points, 4.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds across 32.7 minutes per game in 66 regular-season appearances. Even though his scoring figures were the lowest mark of his career since he became a full-time starter in his third year in the league, McCollum salvaged his fantasy year with solid contributions in other categories, as this was the third straight campaign in which he also averaged at least 4.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 0.9 steals per contest. The Pelicans' roster decisions before the start of the 2024-25 campaign will impact McCollum's fantasy upside, as his role will change considerably if the team finds a way to trade Brandon Ingram. However, even if Ingram stays, McCollum could be in line for a scoring bump since he's expected to move to shooting guard after the team acquired Dejounte Murray in the offseason. With less responsibility to orchestrate the offense and an increase in playing off the ball, McCollum's numbers could move closer to what he used to deliver during his Portland days alongside Damian Lillard. Even if he holds a secondary role in the offensive scheme, McCollum should get enough touches to remain a valuable mid-round target across all formats. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Current Season
From Preseason
#87
ADP
$Signed a two-year, $64 million contract extension with the Pelicans in September of 2022.
Personal Bio/PreCareer Summary

Christian James McCollum, the younger son of Kathy Andrews and Errick McCollum, was born in 1991 in Canton, Ohio. McCollum's older brother Errick has played nine seasons of professional basketball overseas - and, as of late 2019, stars in Russia for VTB League club Unics Kazan. McCollum attended Glen Oak High School in Plain Township where he played with former Sacramento King Kosta Koufos. As a four-year journalism major at Lehigh, he is a contributing editor for the Players' Tribune and has written multiple articles for the site. He's also done work for Sports Illustrated for Kids and NBA.com. McCollum has partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Portland Metro to form the CJ McCollum Dream Center Initiative, which aims to create "safe spaces for young people to learn, explore, create, and grow". The first such Center opened in Nov. 2016, outfitted with culturally relevant books and technologies and placing an emphasis on child literacy. McCollum also started CJ's Press Pass, a journalism-based mentorship program which works with 30 students a year, connecting them with professionals in and around the Portland area and giving them mentorship and feedback on their work. You can follow CJ McCollum on Twitter @CJMcCollum and on Instagram @3jmccollum. McCollum enjoyed a prolific four-year career at Lehigh, where he was a three-time First Team All-Patriot League selection. As a freshman in 2009-10, McCollum became the first player in conference history to be named both the Patriot League Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year by averaging 19.1 points, to go with 5.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game. As a sophomore, his scoring average jumped to 21.8 points per game - good for first in the conference and 10th in the country. As a junior, McCollum once again claimed top league honors, as he led the conference in scoring at 21.9 PPG and ranked second in rebounding at 6.5 RPG. As the MVP of the Patriot League Tournament, he led Lehigh to the NCAA Tournament and they knocked off Duke in Round 1 thanks to McCollum's 30 points, six rebounds and six assists. His senior season was cut short by a broken foot, which limited him to just 12 appearances. Prior to the injury, McCollum was averaging 23.9 points per game along with 5.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals.

Out at least two weeks
GNew Orleans Pelicans
Thigh
November 1, 2024
The Pelicans announced Friday that McCollum was diagnosed with a right adductor strain and is expected to miss at least 2-3 weeks.
ANALYSIS
McCollum had already been ruled out Friday's contest but is now set to miss an extended period due to a right adductor strain. In the 33-year-old guard's absence, Jose Alvarado, Jamal Cain, and Jordan Hawkins (back) are candidates to receive increased playing time. The earliest McCollum is expected to return to action is in mid-November.
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Stat Review
How does CJ McCollum compare to other players?
This section compares his stats with all players from the previous three seasons (minimum 200 minutes played)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.
  • True Shooting %
    An advanced statistic that measures a player's efficiency at shooting the ball that takes field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and three point percentage into account.
  • Effective Field Goal %
    A statistic that adjusts field goal percentage to account for the fact that three-point field goals count for three points while field goals only count for two points.
  • 3-Point Attempt Rate
    Percentage of field goal attempts from three point range.
  • Free Throw Rate
    Number of free throw attempts per field goal attempt.
  • Offensive Rebound %
    An estimate of the percentage of available offensive rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
  • Defensive Rebound %
    An estimate of the percentage of available defensive rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
  • Total Rebound %
    An estimate of the percentage of available rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
  • Assist %
    An estimate of the percentage of teammate field goals a player assisted while they were on the floor.
  • Steal %
    An estimate of the percentage of opponent possessions that end with a steal by the player while they were on the floor.
  • Block %
    An estimate of the percentage of opponent two-point field goal attempts blocked by the player while they were on the floor.
  • Turnover %
    An estimate of turnovers committed per 100 plays.
  • Usage %
    An estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while they were on the floor.
  • Fantasy Points Per Game
    NBA Fantasy Points Per Game.
  • Fantasy Points Per Minute
    NBA Fantasy Points Per Minute.
True Shooting %
55.4%
 
Effective Field Goal %
54.6%
 
3-Point Attempt Rate
52.3%
 
Free Throw Rate
9.2%
 
Offensive Rebound %
0.8%
 
Defensive Rebound %
10.8%
 
Total Rebound %
5.6%
 
Assist %
18.8%
 
Steal %
2.8%
 
Block %
2.7%
 
Turnover %
8.7%
 
Usage %
23.1%
 
Fantasy Points Per Game
36.7
 
Fantasy Points Per Minute
1.1
 
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Our historical fantasy ratings are standard scores calculated using 8-Category settings with 12 teams and 13 players per team.
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Average Fantasy Points
Average Fantasy Points are determined when CJ McCollum was active vs. non-active during the season. Click here to view average fantasy points for a different time period.
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
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2017
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2015
2014
2013
McCollum emerged as a veteran leader for the Pelicans and was durable, playing 75 games during the 2022-23 campaign -- his highest mark since 2017-18. The guard delivered solid numbers, with 20.9 points, 5.7 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 35.3 minutes per game. Even though the Pelicans are still Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson's team, both players are injury prone. McCollum can be a stabilizing force for New Orleans as the team's third option, capable of stepping up when needed. He is one of the most consistent guards in the league, too, averaging at least 20 points per game in each of his last eight seasons. His production isn't expected to alter much in 2023-24, and while his efficiency numbers decreased a bit last season, he should be good enough to deliver mid-to-late-round value.
After spending the entirety of his career with the Trail Blazers, McCollum found himself on the trade block last season with them floundering without the injured Damian Lillard. He was ultimately dealt, landing with an up-and-coming young team in the Pelicans. He thrived with his new squad, averaging 24.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.7 three-pointers per game. His most noteworthy difference with New Orleans was him shooting 49.3 percent from the field, compared to 43.6 percent over 36 games with Portland. Now with a full offseason to build relationships with his new teammates, McCollum will be tasked with helping the Pelicans make a playoff run. One big difference, though, will be that he should be playing alongside a healthy Zion Williamson, who sat out all of last season. It's possible that Williamson's return could result in a decline in points and assists for McCollum, but he's still a reliable guard option in fantasy who can contribute in multiple areas. Playing alongside Lillard, he had six straight seasons in which he averaged at least 20.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
A broken foot limited McCollum to 47 games last season, but he was excellent when available. He put together his best per-game fantasy production (rank 42) since 2016-17 (29). In 34.0 minutes, the shooting guard averaged 23.1 points, 4.7 assists (both career highs) and 3.9 rebounds. He also made a career-high 3.6 triples per game, though it came at the cost of decreased attempts at the rim, which isn't necessarily a good thing. Regardless, Portland's No. 2 option continues to put together great seasons in his prime and is one of the best never-been-an-All-Star players of the last decade. Heading into 2021-22, fantasy managers have reason to draft McCollum marginally higher than usual. The Damian Lillard trade rumors are flying, and if he's eventually dealt, it would likely open up more usage for McCollum. Even if it's McCollum, himself, who gets traded, he could land in a spot where he's given more reign as a playmaker. And if nothing happens and the Blazers stay intact, McCollum could still be worth a fourth-round pick in most fantasy leagues. His floor is extremely high, and last year was an anomaly, from a health perspective. In each season from 2015-16 through 2019-20, McCollum appeared in at least 70 games.
The 2019-20 season was business as usual for one half of Portland's dynamic backcourt duo. McCollum averaged at least 20 points for the fifth straight season, posting the second-highest scoring average of his career (22.2). The Lehigh product shot 45.1 percent from the floor, 75.7 from the free-throw line and 37.9 from three. McCollum has been one of the most consistent and durable guards in the NBA over the last four seasons, posting similar numbers year-in and year-out and appearing in at least 70 games for five straight campaigns. In that span, McCollum has averaged no fewer than 20.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.3 threes in every season, shooting effectively from three and coming up big when needed most. He provided some huge scoring totals, though his upside in that department is capped because he shares the backcourt with Damian Lillard. Still, there aren't many surprises when drafting McCollum, as he provides steady production and the occasional big day. He'll likely be selected among the top-60 players in most fantasy drafts this season.
McCollum's per-game averages dipped, albeit only slightly, across several categories in 2018-19. In fact, he managed his lowest assists (3.0), steals (0.8) and minutes (33.9) averages since he was a sophomore back in 2014-15 and posted his lowest scoring average (21.0) since his first year as a full-time starter (2015-16). McCollum also failed to appear in at least 80 games for the first time since his sophomore year. With that being said, he stepped up per usual in the playoffs when afforded a heavier dose of playing time, helping lead the Trail Blazers to the Western Conference Finals. Dealing Evan Turner for Kent Bazemore this offseason replaces a ball-dominant point forward with a low-usage and complementary veteran wing who capably spaces the floor from beyond the arc, perhaps opening up more opportunities for McCollum to initiate the offense, and thus increase his production in the points and dimes departments. Even if Portland is able to keep McCollum's minutes in check during the regular season once again, which may not be a given due to the Western Conference's incredible depth of potential playoff contenders, the soon-to-be 28-year-old combo guard is likely entering the prime of his career and remains an excellent option across all fantasy formats.
McCollum’s offensive metrics actually saw a slight downturn last season, although his numbers still rendered him a top-10 option at shooting guard in Fantasy circles. The 2013 first-round pick averaged 21.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.0 steal across 36.1 minutes over 81 games, shooting 44.3 percent from the field, including 39.7 percent from distance. He also encouragingly took a career-high 18.6 shot attempts per contest, helping lead to a robust 26.5 percent usage rate. With the Blazers projected to likely return the same starting five, there’s little doubt that the Portland offense should largely run through the backcourt once again this season. That should leave McCollum poised for another large workload, one that’s helped him generate near-elite numbers out of the two-guard spot over the last three campaigns. Moreover, at least a slight improvement on a free-throw rate that dropped from 2016-17’s 91.2 percent to 83.6 percent last season would bump McCollum’s value up another notch.
In his second full season as Portland's starting shooting guard and complement to superstar Damian Lillard in the backcourt, McCollum continued to show why the Trail Blazers gave him a four-year, $106 million extension on his rookie contract. While the team as a whole didn't perform up to expectations and were sent packing in the first round of the NBA playoffs, McCollum provided some optimism for the future by further sharpening his already stellar shooting stroke. After going 44.8 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from the three-point line during the 2015-16 campaign, McCollum significantly improved from the field with an impressive 48 percent clip, while also showing a slight improvement in his deep ball at 42.1 percent. That translated to a career-high 23.0 points per game, which he supplemented with 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.3 three-pointers across 35.0 minutes. With the shooting guard position usually lacking in terms of high upside Fantasy targets, McCollum should once again be a top option looking ahead. He's well documented for his contributions in both the scoring and three-pointers made categories, but McCollum is still solid elsewhere in terms of his boards and assists, especially in comparison to other shooting guards across the league. Locked into a mid-30's workload, the 25-year-old McCollum should have every opportunity to improve on his numbers yet again in 2017-18, which is only further strengthened by the fact that the Trail Blazers didn't bring in any other big name free agents during the offseason.
Following a huge showing in the 2015 NBA Playoffs, McCollum’s production was expected to take a quantum leap in 2015-16 while he displaced the departed Wesley Matthews as the Blazers’ starting shooting guard. The 2013 lottery pick somehow ended up being even better than advertised, churning out averages of 20.8 points (on 44.8% shooting from the field), 4.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 2.5 three-pointers and 1.2 steals across 34.8 minutes per game in 80 appearances en route to claiming NBA Most Improved Player honors. McCollum formed a lethal backcourt combination with star point guard Damian Lillard, with his elite 41.7 percent mark from three-point range and top-shelf playmaking skills allowing him to capably pick up the slack when Lillard struggled or missed time due to injury. He’ll probably need to elevate his impact in the defensive categories in order to turn into a true two-way fantasy stud, but McCollum’s overwhelming contributions in terms of points and three-pointers are good enough to make him a safe early-round fantasy selection. After signing McCollum to a four-year, $106 million contract extension in July, the Trail Blazers clearly don’t view the 25-year-old as a flash in the pan, and neither should fantasy owners.
In his second NBA season, McCollum was again afflicted by injury, suffering a fractured right index finger on Nov. 17 that wiped 14 games from the slate. Upon his return, minutes were difficult to come by and all but dried up when Arron Afflalo was acquired at the trade deadline. However, McCollum's late-season resurgence was spurred by Wesley Matthews' torn Achilles on Mar. 5, after which he played a vital role for the next 21 games, averaging 10.9 points (on 48 percent shooting), 2.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 three-pointers, and 1.0 steal in 22 minutes. When Afflalo has hindered by a sore shoulder in the postseason, McCollum was further pushed into the spotlight, displaying dynamic scoring acumen with at least 18 points and multiple three-pointers in each of the Blazers' final three playoff contests against the Grizzlies. Before Matthews bolted to the Mavericks in free agency, Blazers general manager Neil Olshey dealt fellow veteran wing Nicolas Batum to Charlotte for shooting guard Gerald Henderson, who started 262 of his final 280 games with the Bobcats. With a contingency plan in place in case Matthews opted for a change, Henderson was seemingly in line to begin the upcoming campaign in the starting five, but offseason hip surgery put a potential damper on that projection. Boosting McCollum's own cause was a vote of confidence from Olshey, who mentioned the third-year pro alongside Damian Lillard as the foundation of the Blazers' backcourt. If the preceding comes to pass, McCollum would be worthy of a late-round flier in standard formats.
The Blazers' first-round pick from the 2013 NBA Draft, CJ McCollum's rookie season got off to a bumpy start after he broke the fifth metatarsal in his left foot early in training camp. His NBA debut was pushed back to Jan. 8, after which he logged time in 38 of the Blazers' final 47 contests. Outside of scoring, his production was mostly unremarkable - 5.3 points (on 42-percent shooting), 1.3 rebounds, 0.8 three-pointers, and 0.7 assists in 13 minutes per game - but the exchange of Mo Williams for Steve Blake in free agency could provide McCollum with a more direct path to act as Damian Lillard's primary backup. During his second dose of the Las Vegas Summer League in July, McCollum again showed off his scoring prowess, averaging 20.2 points and 2.0 three-pointers in 33 minutes per game. However, since facilitating isn't really his thing, with 10 total dimes through five contests, McCollum may be asked to play off the ball when on the court once the upcoming season commences.
After striking gold with their first-round selection of Damian Lillard out of tiny Weber State last season, the Blazers went back to the small-college pool to nab another guard in this summer's draft, choosing McCollum out of Lehigh. Despite his small-school credentials, McCollum came up big time for the Blazers in the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 21.0 points and 3.4 assists per game, though it came on a less-than-stellar 37 percent shooting mark from the field. Still, the performance demonstrated McCollum's capabilities as a dynamic scorer, a role the Blazers envision him filling during the regular season as their sixth man. Bench scoring was a major weakness for the Blazers last season and often resulted in bloated minute totals for Damian Lillard and Wesley Matthews, so if McCollum continues to transition well to the increased level of competition, coach Terry Stotts should hand him plenty of playing time to keep the starters fresh. Though he should see most of his action at shooting guard, the Blazers plan to give him some time running the point as well, which would provide more opportunities to gather assists.
More Fantasy News
Sitting again Friday
GNew Orleans Pelicans
Thigh
October 31, 2024
McCollum (thigh) won't play Friday against the Pacers.
ANALYSIS
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Unavailable Wednesday
GNew Orleans Pelicans
Leg
October 30, 2024
McCollum is inactive for Wednesday's game against Golden State due to right adductor soreness. He will undergo an MRI for further evaluation.
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Struggles with shot
GNew Orleans Pelicans
October 30, 2024
McCollum closed Tuesday's 124-106 loss to the Warriors with five points (2-8 FG, 1-4 3Pt), six rebounds, five assists and two blocks over 31 minutes.
ANALYSIS
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Team-leading 27 points vs. Portland
GNew Orleans Pelicans
October 27, 2024
McCollum logged 27 points (10-21 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 4-6 FT), four rebounds, three assists and four steals over 36 minutes during Sunday's 125-103 loss to the Trail Blazers.
ANALYSIS
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Pops for 20 against former club
GNew Orleans Pelicans
October 26, 2024
McCollum ended Friday's 105-103 victory over the Trail Blazers with 20 points (8-17 FG, 4-9 3Pt), two rebounds, three assists, one block and four steals in 40 minutes.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Offensive role could be changed
GNew Orleans Pelicans
October 4, 2024
McCollum is expected to play more of an off-ball role in 2024-25 now that he'll likely play alongside Dejounte Murray in the Pelicans' backcourt, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com.
ANALYSIS
McCollum has played both guard roles during his Pelicans tenure, but shifting toward an off-ball role shouldn't be hard for him, as that's the role he had when playing alongside Damian Lillard in Portland. Don't be surprised if Murray and McCollum end up shifting roles as the season progresses, as head coach Willie Green already stated he'd be open to those changes.
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