Pelicans Media Day: CJ McCollum Clear on His Role
CJ McCollum is here to stay. After officially signing his extension with the team, CJ is locked in for the next four years in New Orleans. At media day on Monday, he talked about the unique opportunity he has in New Orleans playing alongside Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.
"Our future is bright, and we have a chance to do a lot of special things once we come together," McCollum told a room full of reporters. He went on to say, "I'm happy to have a full training camp instead of having to try to learn throughout the season."
Sep 26, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) during a press conference at the New Orleans Pelicans Media Day from the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
That last statement was about his midseason acquisition to the Pelicans last year. With only about a quarter of a season to go, CJ had to quickly grasp the playbook and get acclimated with his new team on the fly as they were in the midst of a playoff run. The seasoned veteran admitted it was not easy at first and that, at times, he was lost on the court with little time to grasp the new playbook.
"When I first landed here, I got in at midnight and had a game at 6 p.m. the next day. So I learned two out-of-bounds plays and two offensive plays. As the season progressed, I learned more, but there were a couple of times in the playoffs when Willie would call a play, and I would be bringing the ball up, and I'll be like, I don't know what that is. I'd look at Larry (Nance), and he'd be like, I don't know either. It was trial and error, and I learned on the fly."
Sep 26, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) during a press conference at the New Orleans Pelicans Media Day from the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
In the offseason, CJ has used his leadership skills to maximize the best out of the younger guys on this team. "When the season ended, I had dinner with Z (Zion), Larry. I reached out to our staff to get together this summer. It's important to build an off-court relationship with the guys."
"The way I lead is different in terms of accountability. I need to know you on a certain type of level. It just helps you from a developmental standpoint to be able to see what guys are doing. It's one thing to say you've been working out, but I want to see it."
McCollum will oversee a talented team with playoff aspirations and dreams of even more significant achievements. He's had the proper time to acclimate himself to the players, and this organization, CJ, will be the driving force to get the Pelicans to the promised land.
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