Blazers’ McCollum Discusses Injury Rehab & Top Shot Craze During ESPN Appearance

Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum dropped in on Thursday’s episode of ESPN’s The Jump to discuss his injury rehabilitation, his decision to focus on three-point shooting, and the emergence of NBA Top Shot.

Here is the full video of McCollum’s 7-minute appearance with host Rachel Nichols.

• McCollum and Nichols opened with a discussion that covered the social justice and education initiatives that the Blazers star has focused on recently.
• In regards to his injury return, McCollum explained that he is focused on regaining strength and stability before suiting up. The former Lehigh standout made it a point to mention that this is the third foot fracture he has suffered.
• McCollum touched on how the Blazers are performing with him out of the lineup. Along with praise from Nichols, McCollum highlighted the strong play of Portland’s supporting cast in that segment.
• Nichols touched on McCollum’s pre-injury uptick in three-point shooting when the conversation returned to individual performance. McCollum credited the Blazers’ coaching staff for emphasizing the importance of beyond-the-arc offense.
• Finally, McCollum touched on the explosion of NBA Top Shot. Jokingly, he suggested that he needs to put together some better dunks to increase the value of his moments on the platform.

McCollum last appeared on the court during the Blazers’ 112-106 victory over the Hawks on Jan. 16. Prior to suffering a foot fracture, McCollum was averaging a career-best 26.7 points per game.