2025-26 Season
CJ MCCOLLUM
2025-26 Season
CJ MCCOLLUM
McCollum produces at an elite rate for a 30-minute workload.
McCollum produces at an elite rate for a 30-minute workload.
PBP Credit: Every play is analyzed from play-by-play data. Scorers get difficulty-adjusted credit, assisters get creation value based on the shot opportunity they created, and turnovers are classified by type. Shot difficulty is derived from 1M+ shots across 4 seasons. Full methodology
TEAM COMPARISON
of 16 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
Similar Players
Same position, closest production profile this season.
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 246 Guards with 10+ games
THE SEASON SO FAR
CJ McCollum’s early season was defined by whiplash-inducing volatility as a primary scorer. When his jumper abandoned him, the offensive floor completely collapsed. On 11/06 vs BOS, he scored just 3 points and forced terrible looks on his way to a dismal 1-for-10 shooting night, resulting in a disastrous -14.6 Impact score. Yet, he could still single-handedly shoot his team to victory when the green light stayed on. He caught absolute fire on 11/26 vs ATL, pouring in 46 points on 17-of-25 shooting to generate a staggering +44.1 Impact score driven by pure, unstoppable shot-making. Occasionally, he even found subtle ways to survive his own cold streaks. During an ugly 9-point outing on 10/22 vs MIL where he missed all six of his three-pointers, McCollum still scraped together a positive +0.6 Impact score by crashing the glass for six rebounds and keeping the offense flowing with timely passes. The veteran guard remains a lethal weapon, but his wild swings in efficiency make him a nightly gamble.
This midseason stretch was defined by a jarring but necessary reality check: CJ McCollum transitioning from a full-time starter into a sparkplug sixth man. Before the demotion, his starting minutes were yielding diminishing returns. That friction was perfectly captured on 12/28 vs MEM, where he posted a sluggish -3.3 Impact despite scoring 16 points, dragged into the red by clunky shot selection and a brutal 1-for-6 night from deep. Yet, he found ways to salvage value even when his jumper betrayed him. During the 12/24 vs CHA matchup, McCollum scored just 14 points on an abysmal 5-for-17 from the floor but still registered a +4.8 Impact because he dug deep defensively and fought for loose balls to keep possessions alive. Once relegated to the second unit, he embraced the freedom to mercilessly hunt his own offense against backup guards. He still possessed his vintage scoring punch when called upon to spot-start, erupting for 38 points on 12-for-25 shooting on 02/09 vs MIN to earn a massive +28.7 Impact. He is no longer a pristine model of efficiency, but this veteran evolution gives his team a dangerous, unpredictable weapon.
A swift promotion from the second unit to a permanent starting role defined this late-season stretch for CJ McCollum. When his perimeter stroke caught fire, he was an absolute offensive wrecking ball. During the 03/14 vs MIL matchup, he erupted for 30 points on blistering 7-for-10 shooting from beyond the arc, earning a massive +20.6 impact score through sheer shot-making brilliance. Yet, he also found ways to tilt the floor when his scoring volume dipped. In his first start of this run on 02/22 vs BKN, McCollum scored a modest 16 points but still drove a +10.1 impact by aggressively crashing the glass for eight rebounds and making smart passes. That veteran green light is a double-edged sword, however. Despite generating 14 points and six assists on 03/30 vs BOS, his impact plummeted to -5.4 because he needed 17 field goal attempts to get there, stalling the offense with forced, inefficient looks. He remains a lethal scorer, but his erratic shot selection makes him a highly volatile asset.
IMPACT TIMELINE
Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.
Very consistent. McCollum posts positive impact in 76% of games — you almost always get a productive night. Scoring varies by ~8 points, but the overall contribution stays positive.
Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 55% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.
Defensive difference-maker. McCollum consistently forces tough shots and protects the rim — opponents shoot worse when he's guarding them.
Tends to go on runs. Longest hot streak: 9 games. Longest cold streak: 3 games.
MATCHUP HISTORY ⚠ Updated 46 days ago
Based on 70 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.
ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM
His shooting stats against each primary defender this season
ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED
How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.
SEASON STATS
GAME LOG
83 games played
