CJ McCollum gets a warm welcome back in Portland
Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum was back on his old stomping grounds when they visited Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on Thursday.
McCollum became a star in Rip City after being drafted 10th overall in 2013. He teamed up with fellow guard Damian Lillard to form one of the deadliest backcourts in the NBA, leading the Trail Blazers to multiple playoff appearances.
Portland sent him to the New Orleans Pelicans in a midseason trade in 2022. It was a heartbreaking end to his career with the Trail Blazers, but McCollum said he understands the decision, adding that he will still be forever grateful to the city that embraced him.
He remains beloved in Portland, as it proved cheers from the fans when he entered the game against his former team at the 6:25 mark of the first quarter.
CJ McCollum’s return gets the Blazers crowd giving him a standing ovation 👏pic.twitter.com/og9IHrrSSi
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 16, 2026
McCollum, 34, averaged 19.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists in seven and a half seasons with the Trail Blazers.
Many wanted Portland to re-acquire McCollum and reunite him with Lillard when the Washington Wizards were rumored to be shopping him. but alas he landed on the Hawks.
He played well in the first two games with Atlanta, including 25 points off the bench in Tuesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
McCollum is expected to continue playing a backup role, as the Hawks have been playing Dyson Daniels and Nikhil Alexander-Walker as the starters in the backcourt.
As of this writing, the Hawks lead the Trail Blazers at halftime, 56-54.
2026-01-16 04:36:00
