CJ McCollum

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

McCollum played high school basketball for the Golden Eagles at GlenOak High School in Canton, Ohio. As a freshman in 2005, he was considerably undersized. He played varsity as a freshman, relying on his athleticism. He gained five inches by his second year and another four inches by his third year. In his first game as a junior, he scored 54 points to set school and Stark County records. He averaged 29.3 points per game as a senior, became the leading scorer in Golden Eagles history with 1,405 career points, and was named Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year for the 2008–09 season. In college at Lehigh, he averaged 19.1 points and 5 rebounds as a freshman, was the leading freshman scorer in the nation, and the first Patriot League player to be named conference Player and Rookie of the Year. He led Lehigh to the 2010 NCAA tournament, scoring 26 points in a first-round loss to Kansas. As a sophomore, he averaged 21.8 points and 7.8 rebounds. As a junior, he again earned Patriot League Player of the Year and led Lehigh to a 75–70 win over Duke in the 2012 NCAA tournament, scoring a game-high 30 points. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

In Their Own Story

The arena hummed with that familiar late-game tension, the lights reflecting off the polished hardwood as the clock wound down. McCollum caught the inbound pass at the top of the key, his jersey number three visible against the backdrop of a packed Smoothie King Center. The crowd roared, sensing another moment in the making. He drove left, stepped back to the perimeter, and released a jumper that seemed suspended in time before swishing through the net.

Reader's Guide

McCollum was drafted tenth overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2013. He signed his rookie contract on July 11, 2013. He sat out the first six weeks of the regular season with a foot injury. He made his NBA debut on January 8, 2014, scoring 4 points. On February 8, 2014, he posted a season-high 19 points. In his sophomore season, he averaged 6.8 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1 assist across 62 games. In the 2015–16 season, he was elevated to starting shooting guard, averaging 20.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 80 games. He earned NBA Most Improved Player honors. On July 27, 2016, he signed a four-year, $106 million contract extension with Portland. He was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2022, to the Washington Wizards in 2025, and to the Atlanta Hawks in 2026.

Did You Know?

• McCollum was the first player to ever enter the NBA from Lehigh University.
• He scored 54 points in his first game as a junior in high school, setting school and Stark County records.
• McCollum was voted the 2013–14 Rookie of the Year (together with Victor Oladipo) in an NBA.com rookie survey.
• He became the Patriot League's all-time leading scorer on November 25, 2012.
• McCollum served as president of the National Basketball Players Association from 2021 to 2025.