National Basketball Association

Can C.J. McCollum Get Even Better?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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How can C.J. McCollum build off of his breakout performance from last season?

C.J. McCollum earned Most Improved Player honors last year, but look for him to be even better in this upcoming season. McCollum was lethal on the offensive end, and it showed in the stat column. The former Lehigh product capitalized on his increased playing time, which resulted in a 20.8 PPG scoring average (stats via Basketball-Reference.com).

McCollum has an unstoppable mid-range pull up. He shot forty-six percent between ten and fourteen feet, as well as forty-five percent between fifteen and nineteen feet. Finding offense through mid-range shots is becoming a lost art in today’s NBA, but McCollum’s creativity with the ball allows him to score in a multitude of ways.

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Despite an impressive year in 2015-16, McCollum does have room for improvement. He is going to have the spot-light on him every night, as the secret is out about his talent level. Finding ways to get his teammates involved when the opposing defense closes in on him will key. His assist numbers (4.3) are solid for a player who largely serves as the secondary ball-handler, but a modest raise should be expected in the coming season. Unlike last season, this squad is very familiar with each other, so an uptick in ball movement should be a given.

I know we’ve just covered passing, but his scoring numbers should also increase in 2016-17. McCollum is often more dangerous from beyond the arc when he is allowed to maneuver around screens without the ball. Having Damian Lillard on the court allows him to do that with the first team and the addition of Evan Turner should allow him to do the same with the reserve unit. Expect his scoring totals and his 3P% (.417 in 2015-16) to increase as a result of this.

Even with modest improvement, McCollum will continue to climb into discussions regarding the NBA’s elite guards. The sky is the limit for this very talented Trail Blazers backcourt.

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