Player Facts
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 190lbs.
Date of Birth: Sept. 19, 1991
College Experience: Lehigh (4 years)
Selections
All Star: 0
All-NBA: 0
All-Defensive: 0
Player Grades
Speed/Explosiveness: 8
Physical Strength: 6
Positional Size: 5
Positional Wingspan: 6
Paint Scoring: 7
Midrange Scoring: 10
Three-Point Scoring: 9
Dribbling: 10
Passing: 7
Perimeter Defense: 6
Interior Defense: 3
Rebounding: 4
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STRENGTHS
Intro
CJ's crafty and diversified offensive repertoire is quite unique compared to other two-guards. He is a talented three-level scorer but leans heavily upon the midrange. Unlike most modern off-guards, McCollum's comfort zone lies chiefly in this two-point area. The Lehigh product stands at 6'3" with a 6'6.25" wingspan.
Offensive Craft
He is an intelligent and deliberate offensive player. His patient approach is clearly visible within the confines of the screen-and-roll.
As the initiator for these P-N-R actions, CJ is a prolific scoring threat. In 2018-2019 and then again in 2020-2021 he was in the 83rd percentile for his scoring productivity as the pick-and-roll ball-handler.
He reads the location and momentum of the opposing big to a tee and moves accordingly. For instance, if the big opts not to hedge or bother McCollum at the level of the screen, he'll pull up for a jumper. He compiles both threes and midrange buckets this way.
Slashing
CJ has also become an aggressive slasher in screen-and-roll actions. In particular, he takes advantage of switches that leave a big man tasked with guarding him in space. He loves to get low in these scenarios, putting himself in the ideal position to scoot past the plodding big.
McCollum's 11.2 drives per game in 2021-2022 placed him ahead of Anthony Edwards and Jaylen Brown in this regard. He displays tremendous balance and deceleration on nearly all of his drives. Furthermore, he's a formidable free throw shooter after he draws fouls.
Midrange Tactician
The pick-and-roll serves as a mechanism for McCollum to navigate into the midrange. He is a maestro here, exhibiting textbook footwork coupled with a soft touch. He often snakes the pick-and-roll to get into the middle of the floor for teardrops and midrangers.
CJ employs hard dribbles and unpredictable changes of speeds to gain ground en route to his spots. He is masterful at using sidesteps and step-backs to create separation between him and his man, rising up cleanly.
His midrange proficiency is backed up statistically, with a sixth-most 2.3 midrange buckets per game in 2018-2019 on a blistering 50.2% shooting. McCollum, along with Kevin Durant, were the only two players that season to shoot north of 50% on over three midrange attempts per game.
McCollum has a broad floater package with good touch. He often takes long, loping strides as he prepares for one of these runners. CJ floats the ball high to avoid rim protectors but is still efficient thanks to his feathery touch.
Difficult Shot-Making
The Lehigh product stands out as a player that can take and make tough shots in isolation. He hit a lofty 49.2% of his two-point attempts with a defender two to four feet from him in 2018-2019. On the whole, McCollum's isolation scoring landed him in the 75th percentile for his one-on-one work in 2021-2022 (as a Pelican).
His off-the-dribble shooting is top-tier. He shot 37.2% on pull-up threes in 2017-2018, and more recently shot a still-threatening 36.7% here in 2020-2021. His shooting forces defenders to go over picks which helps set up many of his viable counters. These maneuvers include splitting the two defenders or using a sharp crossover to reject the screen as the defender trails.
Off-Ball Toolkit
Playing alongside Damian Lillard among other point guards in the past, McCollum showcased his off-ball prowess. When his man is ball-watching as the point guard handles it, CJ makes hard backdoor cuts for easy buckets. He landed in the 81st percentile for scoring off cuts in 2018-2019.
His number one spot on the total distance traveled leaderboards in 2019-2020 speaks to his extremely active playstyle. He finished well ahead of buzzing off-ball talents like Devin Booker and Buddy Hield in fewer games played. Simply by being in constant motion as he curls around screens, McCollum puts pressure on the defense and occupies the attention of multiple defenders.
CJ is also awesome at using dribble handoffs to score. Whether the delivery man was Jusuf Nurkić back in Portland or someone else, McCollum comes around super tight to foster a quick advantage on his man. Pulling up here or taking it to the rack, he was in the 65th percentile scoring within these sets in 2019-2020 (then 66th in 2020-2021).
While his overall long-range shooting is stellar, he especially thrives spotting up. This strength of CJ's bodes extremely well for playing beside other stars. His pretty long arms and good jumper elevation allow for a high release point.
CJ also relocates effectively, sliding into open space following his initial dish or in offensive rebound scenarios. He simply moves very well without the basketball. His relentless, hard routes around screens create gravity on their own. All in all, McCollum nailed an impressive 46% of his catch-and-shoot threes in 2019-2020.
Ball-Handling + Playmaking
McCollum is brilliant as a ball-handler. He strings together sequences of hesitation and crossovers that help him dart through driving lanes. He adds a layer of unpredictability to his slashing game by being equally adept at going left or right.
CJ is a high-quality passer at the shooting guard position. Though he doesn't record exorbitant assists totals, he is a fundamentally sound, competent passer. The measured approach he takes as he goes to work on offense also keeps his turnover rate at bay.
He excels specifically at the lay-down pass to his man lurking in the dunker spot on drives. The skip pass to opposite corner shooters is also squarely within CJ's wheelhouse. Moreover, McCollum does an excellent job at taking care of the ball.
Defensive Contributions
Defensively, CJ is largely underrated with what he can do here. He is quick, attentive, and plays smart on this end. He does have multiple physical limitations that hinder his total defensive impact here. However, he is definitely serviceable at the very least due to his motor.
McCollum works relentlessly to chase shooters and rarely makes the kinds of mental blunders that are all too common. He spent 2019-2020 with exactly 624 minutes directly checking opposing guards. They shot just 41.2% from the field with CJ there.
The 2019-2020 season also saw him hold men he guarded to 0.9% lower than their average field goal percentage. For added context, good defensive guard Chris Paul allowed his opponents to shoot 0.6% above their typical field goal percentage.
WEAKNESSES
Shortcomings on Defense & On the Glass
CJ gets exploited by larger, stronger guards and wings on the defensive end. There is a ceiling to how well he can slow these bigger guys due to his 6'3", sub-200-pound frame. Despite a good effort, his physical shortcomings here often prove insurmountable.
McCollum's rebounding is an additional area of weakness. Lacking noteworthy bounce or size, CJ fails to be a difference-maker on the glass. He typically grabs around only three or four rebounds per game in a given season despite playing plenty of minutes.
Some Open Court & Interior Struggles
CJ is not the prolific transition threat that a number of offensively gifted guards are. He was in the 47th percentile during 2018-2019 for fast break scoring production. Non-elite open-court speed and middling at-the-rim finishing ability help explain this area of concern.
He shot a subpar 54% from within 5 feet in 2018-2019. CJ slipped further to a paltry 52.6% mark the following season. Ultimately, 2020-2021 saw him tick up to 55.3%, still a lower mark than one would want a two-guard to shoot.
He has never been quite an elite interior finisher nor someone who gets inside that often throughout his NBA career. This mitigates his overall scoring potential, compounded further by a low free-throw attempt rate.
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Players Appearing Here – Check Out Their Profiles
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