NBA Draft 2013: Lehigh’s C.J. McCollum Player Profile

C.J. McCollum, PG/SG, Lehigh, 6’3”, 200 lbs

2012-12 Collegiate Stats: (12 games; all stats courtesy ESPN.com)

23.9 points, 49% field goals, 51% 3-point field goals, 84% free throws, 5.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.7 turnovers

The Skinny:

C.J. McCollum is coming off a broken left foot he suffered in early January but looks to be in good standing for the 2013 NBA Draft. He’s a top-notch scorer with unlimited potential to be a star. He first burst onto the scene when Lehigh defeated national powerhouse Duke in the 2012 NCAA tournament, shocking the world. He came into the 2012-13 season with First Team All-American already in the bag before the injury. He’ll now enter the NBA draft looking to succeed on the next level as well.

Strengths:

Remember Stephen Curry when he played at Davidson? How he burst onto the scene during the NCAA tournament, becoming known as the nation’s most prolific scorer? That’s essentially what happened with C.J. McCollum.

Before suffering his broken foot, McCollum was scoring at a ridiculous rate. He’s consistent in every phase of scoring. In isolation, transition, pick-and-rolls, off screens and spot-up shot situations, McCollum shot better than 45 percent in all these areas in his 12-game stint this season. It’s incredible to think what McCollum’s averages would be if he stayed healthy for the entire season.

He’s not only a great shooter, but because he knows how to be a great scorer, he knows how to stop great scorers. He’s held opponents to less than 30 percent shooting on spot-up shots and shots off of screens. McCollum has quick feet to help stay in front of defenders. He’s also got long arms to help make shooters uncomfortable when he’s defending them.

Essentially, C.J. McCollum is the ultimate offensive weapon. There are very few facets of his game offensively that rank below ‘very good’. If your team needs a scorer, you better hope they pick up McCollum.

Check out some highlights from McCollum’s 2011-12 season, fully healthy:

Weaknesses: 

One of the only gaps in McCollum’s game is working against isolation. He didn’t work against it very often at Lehigh, especially in his short stint in the 2012-13 season, but opponents should be aware that McCollum relies on help-side defense when he’s against isolation.

Also, considering his size (6’3”) McCollum doesn’t bode well when his opponents gets into the lane or around the rim. If it’s not a post-up against him, McCollum has a hard time defending against it. This can easily be covered up with his ability to stay in front of his man, but it is something worth improving for McCollum’s sake.

Highlight Game:

Nov. 19 vs. Fairfield (W 82-67): 35 points, 12-for-21 field goals, 5-for-7 3-point field goals, 6-for-8 free throws, six rebounds

C.J. McCollum did work against a very undermanned Fairfield team. They did not have the athletes to throw at McCollum. C.J. destroyed Fairfield off the dribble, in isolation, on the run, on pull-ups. Basically every shot attempt possible, McCollum knocked it down. He was very efficient and showed his wide array of scoring capabilities.

Lowlight Game:

Dec. 4 vs. Fordham (W 81-63): 13 points, 4-for-12 field goals, 1-for-4 3-point field goals, 4-for-4 free throws, five rebounds, four assists, four turnovers

Fordham took the gamble at focusing their defense primarily on stopping McCollum. It worked well, for the most part. Even though Fordham lost by 18, they did a great job of making McCollum uncomfortable, pressuring him and forcing him off balance. This game was also an indicator of McCollum’s streakiness as a scorer. If his shots aren’t falling, he’s not going to force the action but will keep firing even if the shots won’t seem to go down.

Potential Landing Spots:

There may be a few teams scared off by McCollum’s injured foot, but it won’t hinder his draft stock much. He’s a top-10 pick but could fall as low as 15, depending upon who is drafting where. Don’t be surprised if C.J.’s name is called earlier than you expect.

Teams That Make Sense:

Minnesota Timberwolves: Minnesota has a nice nucleus to build around in Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love. That is, of course, if the Wolves don’t trade Love away this offseason. Without either Love or Rubio in the lineup, the Wolves really lose something in terms of production. Bringing in McCollum would help ease the the pressure off the team when one of their stars is out of action. McCollum’s presence would also help spread the floor dramatically for the rest of the team.

New Orleans Pelicans: If the Pelicans don’t have the opportunity to select Trey Burke, McCollum would easily fill the void. New Orleans’ main objective should be point guard, but adding an elite offensive threat who can also handle the ball is also an acceptable route to take. McCollum and Eric Gordon could become one the the NBA’s premier backcourt pairings in no time.

Overall Synopsis:

There aren’t very many elite scoring options in the 2013 NBA Draft class, but C.J. McCollum is the top dog in this category. Any team looking for an offensive spark who can score in bunches is going to be jumping at the chance to select McCollum early in the first round. Don’t expect McCollum to be the next Stephen Curry, but if there’s anybody that can come close, it’s McCollum.