Kayla McBride Names CJ McCollum Among NBA Players She Watches Most

Since entering the WNBA, Kayla McBride has earned the reputation as one of the game’s most versatile scorers. The newly-acquired Minnesota Lynx guard has used her quick-twitch movements and off-the-screen smarts to become a three-time All-Star. So, when asked about what players she watched most on today’s edition of Bleacher Report’s WNBA Talk, it made sense that one of the names she mentioned was Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum.

McBride also brought up Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry for how brilliant they were at getting shots off quickly and for footwork. In the process, she offered high praise for McCollum, and how proficient he was at creating space to get to his spots.

“You know Michael Jordan was the first player that I watched. Like, I loved his midrange game. That was something that was really big for me in college. But now, I mean I love CJ McCollum. CJ McCollum is somebody that I’ve watched, probably every game that I possibly can of him, just to see his shiftiness. That’s something that I’ve always wanted to have.”

The similarities showcase themselves in her box scores: McBride ranks 23rd in WNBA history in points per game average (14.7), and is just two seasons removed from a remarkable 2018 season in which she averaged 20.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists on 45-39-92 percentage splits per 36 minutes. Here’s a bit of that on display.

A few moments later, she noted that right now, her playstyle modeled more of Klay Thompson’s, but that she was working to implement more of McCollum’s shiftiness into her repertoire. McBride figures to be a key piece for a resurgent, young Minnesota Lynx squad hoping to return to their dynastic reign of the early-to-mid-2010s.

For those interested, here’s the link to the WNBA Talk podcast. She discusses the marquee WNBA free agency and her run with the Las Vegas Aces, among much else.