In today’s NBA, it’s those who contribute in a variety of capacities who provide the most value. Everyone loves a three-point specialist or a dunking dynamo, but opportunities to shine the brightest appear most often for those who exhibit a certain level of mastery in multiple categories.
Consider C.J. McCollum one of these players. Not only is he a lethal spot-up shooter, but he’s beyond slippery when taking defenders off the dribble. He’s shown the ability to play both the 1 and the 2 early in his career, and there’s no fear of him becoming a selfish scorer who can’t make plays for others.
But don’t just think of McCollum as a versatile player—consider him a multitalented part of the entire sports community.
“The X-factor in the series is J.R. Smith. He’s got no chill.” – @CJMcCollum http://t.co/Vxs8NagWpH
— The Players’ Tribune (@PlayersTribune) May 21, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsA former four-year student athlete who studied journalism, McCollum, 23, is quickly etching his name into the world of basketball scribes. He’s not going to be your source for breaking news (don’t expect him to spill the scoop on where LaMarcus Aldridge will play next season), but he offers a perspective on the game as an astute firsthand storyteller.
As a contributing editor to The Players’ Tribune, McCollum recently broke down both the Eastern Conference and Western Conference Finals. Both previews provided a unique look from the eye of someone who’s more than just a student of the game—he’s someone who’s played it at a high level against today’s competition.
Regarding the Western Conference, McCollum shows his empirical outlook in his opening lines:
“I’m going to be honest. It kind of kills me to watch playoff basketball right now. It’s tough to see Houston in the Western Conference Finals when we beat them last season but they earned it! Every time I tweet something about the playoffs, I get the replies like ‘Have fun watching from the couch!’
Jeez, man.”
That’s the kind of candid approach you’re not going to get from a journalist who’s never played a minute of NBA basketball.
McCollum’s take on the East:
“[…] It’s interesting because all the talk this year was about the so-called Big 3 in Cleveland, but with Kevin Love out and Kyrie Irving hobbled, it’s LeBron’s time to remind everyone what he can do not just as an elite scorer, but as an elite distributor. If he’s getting close to 10 assists per game, this series will be over very quickly.”
Pretty spot on, right? LeBron James averaged 9.3 assists per contest for the series, and the Cleveland Cavaliers took care of business in a four-game sweep over the Atlanta Hawks.
Ok Bron… We got the message
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) May 27, 2015
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Should you choose not to dive into the archives and check out McCollum’s body of literary work, you’d be remiss not to make one exception. Although not as relevant now as it was in March, there’s an evergreen quality to the guard’s recap of the ‘Absolute Madness’ that took place during his 30-point performance in 2012 against Duke.
It’s one of the greatest upsets in NCAA Tournament history, and McCollum’s take is a rare example to see the competitive nature of a player behind the scenes (not to mention both the positive and humorous aftermath of a Cinderella story once the student returns to class).
Add to his list of accomplishments interviewing commissioner Adam Silver and hosting his own radio show, and the Portland Trail Blazers have one of the most entertaining players to follow in the entire Association.
Like his abilities on the court, McCollum’s storytelling prowess is becoming more and more difficult to ignore. And also like his basketball career as a whole, his days as a journalist will be worth watching for years to come.
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