CJ McCollum Bio
Christian James McCollum, known professionally as CJ McCollum, is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After starring at GlenOak High School in Canton, Ohio, he played college basketball for the Lehigh Mountain Hawks from 2009 to 2013, emerging as one of the most decorated players in Patriot League history. Selected tenth overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2013 NBA draft, McCollum went on to become an NBA Most Improved Player, a long-time backcourt partner of Damian Lillard, and the president of the National Basketball Players Association. He has since suited up for the New Orleans Pelicans, the Washington Wizards, and the Atlanta Hawks, continuing to produce as a scorer and veteran leader.
Standing 6 ft 3 in and listed at 190 lb, McCollum is a 6 ft 3 in shooting guard and point guard whose game is built on polished footwork, mid-range mastery, and a smooth shooting stroke from beyond the arc. Off the floor, he is known for his work in journalism, podcasting, and philanthropy, including the CJ McCollum Dream Center in Portland. He and his wife, Elise Esposito, have one son, Jacobi.
Early Life and Background
Christian James McCollum was born on September 19, 1991, in Canton, Ohio, where he grew up on the street that would later inspire a wine label bearing his family name. He attended GlenOak High School, playing for the Golden Eagles in a community that quickly recognized his scoring instincts.
As a freshman, McCollum stood only 5 ft 2 in, but a remarkable growth spurt added nine inches over his next two years, transforming him into a college-ready prospect. He averaged 29.3 points per game as a senior, finished as GlenOak’s all-time leading scorer with 1,405 career points, and was named Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year for the 2008–09 season. His very first junior varsity game produced a 54-point outburst, setting school and Stark County records in the process.
McCollum headed to Lehigh University in 2009 with a reputation as a shooter and a scorer, but he was also a serious student. He later completed a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, foreshadowing a media career that would eventually include a podcast, op-eds, and a multiplatform deal with ESPN.
Path to Basketball
McCollum’s college career took off immediately. As a freshman in 2009–10, he led the nation in freshman scoring at 19.1 points per game and became the first Patriot League player ever to be named both conference Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. He guided the Mountain Hawks to the 2010 NCAA tournament, where he dropped 26 points on a top-seeded Kansas squad in a first-round loss.
Across four seasons, McCollum raised his scoring average to 21.8 points as a sophomore, captured a second Patriot League Player of the Year award as a junior, and led a memorable 75–70 upset of the Duke Blue Devils in the 2012 NCAA tournament. In that game, the 15-seeded Mountain Hawks handed a second-seeded Duke team only its sixth loss of that kind in tournament history, with McCollum posting a game-high 30 points. By the time he left campus, he was Lehigh’s all-time leading scorer and a two-time AP honorable mention All-American.
After breaking his left foot on January 5, 2013, McCollum still declared for the 2013 NBA draft, where he was selected tenth overall by the Portland Trail Blazers. He was the first player in program history to be taken in the first round, and the first Lehigh player ever to reach the NBA.
CJ McCollum Career
Early Career (2013–2015)
McCollum signed his rookie scale contract with Portland on July 11, 2013, then spent the first six weeks of his rookie season recovering from the lingering foot injury. He made his NBA debut on January 8, 2014, scoring 4 points in a win over the Orlando Magic, and was assigned to the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League for a brief stretch. By the end of his first two seasons, he was averaging 6.8 points in 15.7 minutes per game and flashing the perimeter shot that would become his trademark.
He reached a then career high of 33 points in Game 5 of a first-round playoff loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, signaling that the Blazers had something special in reserve. Portland exercised both the third-year and fourth-year options on his rookie contract, locking in his place in the backcourt as the team prepared for a major roster overhaul.
Portland Trail Blazers Breakthrough (2015–2019)
The 2015–16 campaign marked McCollum’s true arrival. Promoted to starting shooting guard alongside Damian Lillard after the departures of LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews, and Robin Lopez, he started all 80 games he played and averaged 20.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. He and Lillard became the first backcourt duo in Trail Blazers history to each average 20-plus points, and McCollum was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player.
He followed that up with a four-year, $106 million extension in July 2016, then produced a 2016–17 season that included a 43-point performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves and a game-winning runner against the Dallas Mavericks with 0.9 seconds left. In January 2018, he dropped a franchise-record 28 points in the first quarter and finished with 50 points in just three quarters against the Chicago Bulls, joining an elite list of Blazers 50-point scorers.
The 2018–19 season was the high-water mark of the Lillard-McCollum era. McCollum recorded his first career triple-double in January 2019, then authored one of the most memorable performances in franchise playoff history: 37 points in a Game 7 win over the Denver Nuggets, including the series-clinching step-back jumper with 15 seconds left. The win sent Portland to its first Western Conference Finals since 2000. That summer, he signed a three-year, $100 million extension.
New Orleans Pelicans Era (2022–2025)
On February 8, 2022, McCollum was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in a package that included Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell, bringing the veteran scorer to a young roster in need of backcourt stability. Two days later, he made his Pelicans debut with 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, and he later helped New Orleans advance through the NBA play-in tournament with 32 points against the San Antonio Spurs.
He agreed to a two-year, $64 million extension in September 2022 and produced some of the most explosive scoring nights of his career in a Pelicans uniform, including a 40-point, eight-rebound, nine-assist performance against San Antonio and a franchise-record 11 three-pointers in a 42-point win over the Philadelphia 76ers. On January 3, 2025, he tied his career high with 50 points against the Washington Wizards, but a bone bruise in his right foot ended his 2024–25 season on March 31.
Washington Wizards Era (2025–2026)
McCollum was traded to the Washington Wizards on July 6, 2025, joining Kelly Olynyk in a deal that sent Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, and a 2025 second-round pick to New Orleans. The move paired McCollum with a young Wizards core, and he wasted little time making an impact, dropping a season-high 46 points on 17-for-25 shooting with 10 three-pointers in a win over the Atlanta Hawks on November 25. His 10 threes tied the franchise single-game record set by Trevor Ariza in 2014.
Atlanta Hawks Era (2026–Present)
On January 9, 2026, McCollum was traded to the Atlanta Hawks as part of the package that sent Trae Young to Washington. Joining an Atlanta team sitting at 18–21, he helped spark a 20–6 run after the All-Star break, including an 11-game winning streak, and the Hawks finished 46–36 to secure a top-six playoff seed for the first time in four seasons. He averaged 18.7 points and 4.1 assists in 41 games after the trade.
In the 2026 playoffs, McCollum made an immediate impact for Atlanta, opening with 26 points in a Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks and following up with 32 points, six assists, and two steals in a one-point Game 2 win. He later hit the game-winning jumper in Game 3 to give the Hawks a 2–1 series lead. Atlanta ultimately fell to New York in six games, and on June 22, 2026, McCollum signed an extension to remain in Atlanta.
Driving Style and Strengths
McCollum is a classic mid-range artist in a modern three-point league, thriving on floaters, pull-ups, and contested looks that most guards shy away from. His footwork, body control, and ability to read defensive positioning allow him to generate clean looks at all three levels, and his 84.4 percent free-throw shooting and 39-plus percent career three-point accuracy make him a constant late-clock option. He has long been praised for his professionalism and preparation, traits that have helped him thrive alongside multiple star guards and adapt to new systems.
Notable Events and Milestones
Highlights of McCollum’s career include a 50-point performance against the Chicago Bulls in 2018, a franchise-tying 10 three-pointers against Atlanta in 2025, and the game-sealing step-back jumper that closed out Denver in the 2019 first round. Off the floor, he was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association in 2021, serving until 2025, and his jersey number 3 was retired by Lehigh in recognition of his collegiate legacy.
CJ McCollum Career Wins
McCollum’s career has been built less on championship rings and more on individual accolades and the steady accumulation of milestones at every level. Across high school, college, and the NBA, he has been recognized as one of the most productive scorers of his generation, with All-Star Weekend Three-Point Contest invites, a Most Improved Player trophy, and a Patriot League legacy that earned him a retired number at Lehigh.
NBA Highlights
McCollum’s most memorable NBA moments include his 2015–16 Most Improved Player campaign, his 50-point game against the Bulls in 2018, and the 37-point Game 7 against Denver in 2019. In New Orleans, he set a franchise record with 11 three-pointers in a single game, and in Washington, he tied the franchise single-game three-point record with 10 in a win over Atlanta. His playoff résumé also features 41-point efforts against the Warriors in 2017 and against the Nuggets in 2019.
College and Amateur Highlights
At Lehigh, McCollum was a two-time Patriot League Player of the Year, a three-time First Team All-Patriot League selection, a Patriot League tournament MVP, and the conference’s all-time leading scorer. His 30-point performance in the Mountain Hawks’ 2012 upset of Duke remains one of the most iconic moments in Patriot League history. At GlenOak, he set the school scoring record with 1,405 points and was the 2008–09 Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year.
CJ McCollum Family
Family Background and Personal Life
McCollum has been married to his college sweetheart, Elise Esposito, since October 27, 2020. The couple welcomed a son, Jacobi, on January 10, 2022, expanding the family while McCollum was establishing himself as one of the league’s most respected veterans.
McCollum’s older brother, Errick, is a EuroLeague-winning professional basketball player, giving the family a strong basketball pedigree. The two have remained close throughout their respective careers, and Errick’s success overseas helped inspire CJ’s love for the game from an early age.
Personal Life
Off the court, McCollum is a passionate wine enthusiast, an avid reader, and a committed student of journalism. He brought 84 bottles of wine into the 2020 NBA Bubble, and he owns a wine label originally named McCollum Heritage 91, after the street he grew up on and his 1991 birth year, which was rebranded in 2026 as McCollum Family Vineyard. He is also a published writer, a podcast host through Pull Up with CJ McCollum, and an ESPN NBA analyst, blending his love of basketball with his lifelong interest in storytelling.
2025 Season Performance
McCollum opened the 2025 calendar year in a New Orleans uniform, closing out his final months with the Pelicans by averaging 21.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists across 56 starts. He tied a career high with 50 points in a January 3 win over the Washington Wizards, and he looked poised to push the Pelicans back toward the playoffs before a bone bruise in his right foot shut him down on March 31.
Following the trade to Washington in July 2025, McCollum was asked to be a veteran stabilizer for a young Wizards core, and he delivered with one of the most efficient stretches of his career. He recorded a season-high 46 points on 17-for-25 shooting with 10 three-pointers in a November 25 win over Atlanta, tying the franchise single-game three-point record set by Trevor Ariza.
As 2025 drew to a close, McCollum remained a focal point of the Wizards’ offense, providing leadership, shot creation, and a stabilizing presence for developing guards. The midseason move to Atlanta in early 2026, paired with his continued production, suggested his veteran scoring touch would remain a major storyline heading into the rest of the NBA calendar.
