Name: C.J. McCollum
Age: 21
Height: 6-foot-3
Position: Point Guard
School/Country: Lehigh
Latest Stats: 23.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.4 spg
In early January, Lehigh senior guard C.J. McCollum broke his foot, a devastating blow to the team’s expectations in 2012-13. McCollum burst onto the scene as a junior the year before, starring in the Mountain Hawks’ upset of No. 2 Duke in the NCAA Tournament. As McCollum continues to pace his recovery, his expectations have remained in the fold for the 2013 NBA Draft.
McCollum is entering the draft as a senior, but won’t turn 22 years of age until September. McCollum is a prolific scorer and had been averaging 23.9 points per game prior to his injury. The 6-foot-3 point guard has averaged at least 19 points per game in all four of his collegiate seasons and is already drawing comparisons to Stephen Curry.
McCollum is likely a lock to hear his name called within the lottery portion of the NBA Draft.
Strengths: McCollum’s biggest strength is obviously his shooting and scoring ability. In four years at the collegiate level, his offensive output is simply astonishing. He can score in a variety of ways and if opponents don’t know where he is at all times, they will pay for it. McCollum was shooting 51.6% from beyond the arc this past season, prior to suffering that broken foot.
Weaknesses: McCollum is obviously recovering from an injury that caused him to miss the final two months of the season. McCollum should be just fine moving forward, but he must decide what position suits him best. If McCollum is selected as a point guard which is expected, he must refine his ability to run the team and make plays for others.
Draft Projection: Lottery Pick
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