Portland Trail Blazers: C.J. McCollum’s All-Star argument

With NBA All-Star Weekend fast approaching, a repeated All-Star snub in Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum makes another strong argument for a spot.

NBA All-Star Weekend is one of, if not the, biggest prime time event in the NBA season. Talent from across the league gathered to display world-class ability in the Rising Stars Challenge, the 3-Point Contest, the Dunk Contest, and of course to pinnacle of it all, Sunday night’s All-Star Game. The event will boast the 24 best players in the world and Portland Trail Blazers’ shooting guard CJ McCollum is yet again making another strong claim for a spot.

When it comes to the All-Star Game, the big names of supreme superstars is what immediately comes to mind. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo are all elite we know will be at center stage for the world’s biggest pickup game.

These players are just about guaranteed to receive a spot via the fan vote while the reserves are selected by coaches and executives around the league.

When it comes to CJ McCollum, his case is often overlooked, overshadowed and pushed to the wayside largely due to circumstance.

Portland’s chances to get at least one All-Star is about the same as the chance for rain in Seattle as reigning All-NBA First Team point guard Damian Lillard is among the top scorers in the league with a huge name to boot.

Lillard has put up phenomenal numbers, averaging 26.2 points , 6.1 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game and is undoubtedly the leader of a Trail Blazers’ squad currently third in the Western Conference.

He’s all but guaranteed to be selected for his fourth NBA All-Star Game; however, the question is can the Trail Blazers’ sneak two All-Stars into the Queen City?

The West, as we all aware, is beyond stout and loaded with competition. However, we often stop at the standings when we think of the competitiveness in the Western Conference.

The All-Star Game is nearly a battle royale as there is a ridiculous pool of players deserving of a spot, resulting in countless snubs.

Monta Ellis, a former 20-plus points per game scorer in Golden State, was never selected to an All-Star team. Mike Bibby, a Sacramento Kings point guard legend, was never selected to an All-Star team.

Lamar Odom, who is a former Team USA gold medalist, is yet another shocking snub never selected to an All-Star game.

Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Brent Barry, Ron Harper, Jason Terry — all excellent Western Conference players who you’d imagine would have at least been a part of one All-Star Game but that simply isn’t the case.

The likes of Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki and more made the it nearly impossible for Western Conference stars to become All-Stars.

Today, it is Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, James Harden and more that keep the Devin Bookers and Rudy Goberts of the world on the outside looking in.

Unfortunately CJ McCollum has fallen victim of being one of the outsiders looking at the All-Star Game through a pane of glass unfairly.

The former NBA Most Improved Player in 2015-16 has averaged over 20 points per game in three straight seasons and at this pace he will make it his fourth straight this season.

Last year McCollum missed the All-Star Game egregiously after a career year, putting up 25.3 points and 3.5 assists per game on 51 percent shooting from the field, all of which were career highs.

According to Justallstar.com, McCollum currently ranks sixth all-time for the most points per game during a span in which a player was not selected to a single All-Star Game, averaging 17.5 points per game in his career.

With numerous stars competing for a one of the reserve spots such as Tobias Harris of the surprise Los Angeles Clippers to Devin Booker to Donovan Mitchell, McCollum presents his own strong argument to be chosen for his first NBA All-Star Game next month.

In a league where scoring is the top priority, McCollum ranks 25th in the league with 20.6 points per game this season, putting him at 16th in the West. In terms of field goal percentage, McCollum ranks sixth among shooting guards out West, shooting at a 45.6 percent clip.

CJ McCollum is having another efficient 20-plus points per game season serving as the partner-in-crime to one of the game’s elites in Damian Lillard, all while doing so on a team currently holding first round home-court advantage in the Western Conference playoffs.

Snubs are inevitable as the talent level rises in the league as a whole and the West seems to only grow stronger and deeper but there is without a doubt a strong case for McCollum to suit up come Feb. 17.