CJ McCollum On Clerical Error: "People Make Mistakes"

Due to a clerical error, C.J. McCollum was declared inactive for the Portland Trail Blazers' meeting with the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. Luis Montero was active in his place. The Blazers fell 109-98 with one of their bet scorers watching from the sideline. McCollum explains why he is not upset. Videos via CSNNW:

CJ McCollum

Were you unclear up to that point whether or not you would play?

Yeah, I was unclear.

You obviously went back and changed into street clothes. Did they basically tell you to do that?

Yeah, I was told to change. I mean, when you’re inactive you can’t be in game clothes.

CJ, how do you feel about this happening?

It’s unfortunate, but it’s over with. Just moving on to the next game.

What was your initial reaction? Angry? Upset? Confused? All of the above?

It’s in the past. Putting it in the past now. Nothing I can do about it now. Just got to move on and try to get a win on Friday.

So just to be clear [indiscernible] starting lineup to start and play?

Yeah.

It’s an unfortunate situation, but I just got to move forward and try to support my team the best I could tonight. That’s unfortunate we weren’t able to win and just got to turn the page and look forward to the game on Friday.

So I saw [Terry] Stotts come up to you kind of right before pregame introductions. Is that when you found out?

Yeah.

And what was your reaction? What did you say?

I said ‘okay.’ What can you do? There’s nothing you can do.

What was his words? How did he present that?

I don’t really remember. Just basically a mistake was made with the inactive/active list.

Up to that point, you thought that there was a chance that you were still going to be able to be active, or were you not aware that there had been a mistake?

I wasn’t aware until they told me.

Right then? I mean, right before the starting lineup?

Yeah.

How do you not be angry?

People make mistakes, man. What is being angry going to do about it? It’s not going to fix anything. Game is over with. We lost. Got to move forward and turn the page.

Damian Lillard

When they was about to do starting lineups and I was sitting next to CJ, he just leaned over and told me, like, ‘I might not be able to play tonight.’ So I was like ‘Man.’ I thought at least he’d probably have to sit out the start of the game and then eventually he would get in, but I didn’t see him on the bench and I assumed that they probably wouldn’t let him play tonight.

Did coach explain the scenario at halftime?

After the game he did.

How did that go?

I think everybody in here knows it was an honest mistake. He’s not just going to leave one of our players out of a big game for us. So he made a mistake—we all do. We got to move on from it.

Luis Montero

Take me through how things went from your perspective tonight from when you found out you had to go back and change into a uniform.

I mean, I don’t know what happened. I was sitting behind the bench and then one of the coaches told me to go to the locker room and get dressed and come back to the game, but I don’t know exactly what happened.

So did it make any sense to you? Like, ‘Why am I having to change into a uniform all of a sudden?’

I mean, not really, but I’m always ready. So if they tell me to get changed and come back, that’s happening.

Was it also a surprise to you at that point that you actually played some game minutes or were you ready to go all along?

I mean, I was ready, but surprised me. They told me, like, ‘go back to the locker room and get changed.’ That’s what happened.

Considering tomorrow is a big day for you and a couple other players with the guaranteed contracts and maybe non-guaranteed contracts, did that weigh on your mind at all that you had one last shot to actually be able to show everyone what you got?

I mean, we’re going to see what’s going to happen, so I’m excited to keep working hard every day, no matter what, so we’ll see what’s going to happen.

~~~~~~~~~~

We invite you to help send 2000 underprivileged kids to see the Blazers play the Sacramento Kings on March 28th. Your ticket donations make this possible. You can donate through this link:

http://www.rosequarter.com/blazersedge

Promo Code: BLAZERSEDGE

Ticket Costs range from $7-13 (There is a $5 processing fee per order.)

You can also call our ticket rep, Lisa Swan, directly at 503-963-3966. You will need to indicate to her that you are donating the tickets you order to Blazer's Edge Night.