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Portland Trail Blazers: Will CJ McCollum be an All Star in 2021?

By Ruben Estrada

PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 25: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers dribbles against Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics in the fourth quarter during their game at Moda Center on February 25, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 25: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers dribbles against Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics in the fourth quarter during their game at Moda Center on February 25, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum will be 29 at the start of the 2020-2021 NBA season. Is there time for him to become an All Star while he’s still in his prime?

The 2021 All Star Game in Indianapolis is still almost a year away. While we’re not even close to seeing who earns a spot on the annual squad, one player who has seemingly been on the fringes of the roster for years is Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum. Here are a few factors that will affect his All Star chances next season.

Early Season Performances

Since earning his starting spot in the 2015-2016 season, McCollum has been reliable for about 20 points a game, along with a handful of rebounds and assists. While he’s had the ups and downs every NBA player experiences, his status as an élite scorer has not wavered over the last few years. That said, the flashy, highlight reel takeovers he is capable of producing, have come somewhat sparsely.

It’s not necessarily his fault, especially since his backcourt partner Damian Lillard is known to put on video game level shows throughout the whole year. At times, it seems there are simply not enough opportunities for him to get the national coverage many of Lillard’s performances receive.

However, if McCollum has enough early season takeovers full of late game clutch buckets, he may be able to finally earn his first All Star nod.

Three Point Shooting Percentage

Stats are often an overvalued aspect of a player’s performance, which in the case of McCollum, may be a hindrance in earning his first All Star nod. One of the most impactful aspects of his game is his often lethal three-point shooting.

While he may not have Lillard’s range, his crafty ability to get open beyond the arc is hard to come by. Unfortunately, his crafty style of play and ability to his difficult shots may actually hurt him when it comes to participating in the All Star game and/or Three Point Contest.

As a 6’3” shooting guard, McCollum is often guarded by taller players, requiring him to take several fadeaways and floaters, raising the difficulty of his shots beyond that of an average player. Unfortunately, these challenging shots will not always fall and McCollum does not have the luxury to play the corner catch and shoot style many of the top percentage shooters are known for.

The 2016-17 season was the last time McCollum shot above 40 percent beyond the arc for the year. While this by no means should be an individual goal he focuses on solely for personal accolades, it may be a necessity if he is to earn an All Star nod.

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Portland’s Overall Record

McCollum has the least control of this last factor, but it still may affect his All Star chances just as much of the others. Portland will likely need to be a top 3 team in the Western Conference if McCollum is to have a chance at being an All Star.

The West is packed with teams who have duos and even trios on the roster who are all potential All Star candidates. In order for McCollum to stand out on a small market team like Portland, his play alone won’t be enough. Assuming Lillard is still earning the top numbers on the team, the Blazers’ overall record will need to be one of the best in the league if McCollum’s role as the second-in-command is to earn him a trip to Indianapolis in 2021.