Club 520 Podcast – CJ McCollum on Damian Lillard Trade, Steph Curry & Warriors WCF Battles, Beating Duke
Date: December 15, 2025
Host: DJ Wells (with Jeff Teague, Bishop B. Henn, “Young Nacho” and co-hosts)
Guest: CJ McCollum
Podcast by: iHeartPodcasts & The Volume
Overview
This episode of Club 520 features NBA veteran C.J. McCollum, who joins hosts DJ Wells, Jeff Teague, and Bishop B Henn for an engaging, candid, and hilarious conversation covering McCollum’s basketball journey from undersized high schooler to NBA star, the realities and stakes of his career-changing moments, his perspective on the business of basketball, and reflections on his legendary NCAA upset over Duke. The episode is rich in behind-the-scenes NBA stories, hard-earned wisdom on success and consistency, and plenty of club-style camaraderie.
Episode Breakdown
1. Early Basketball Days: Underdog Origins
[09:16 – 13:43]
- Growing up in Canton, Ohio:
- McCollum had a high school team with multiple future pros, notably playing varsity as a small guard (5'2” as a freshman).
- Quote: “I was only like 5:2, so had the handles, had the jumper, had that stuff, but I was just too small. And eventually God gave me a little bit of height and some grace, and I tried to run with it.” (C.J. McCollum, 10:01)
- Growth Spurt Timeline:
- 5'2" (freshman), 5'7" (sophomore), 5'11" (committed to Lehigh), 6'2" by senior year, currently 6'3”.
- Varsity Experience:
- Played JV and partial varsity as a freshman due to “five quarter rule.”
- Big brother was his role model and main influence.
2. College at Lehigh & Beating Duke
[13:44 – 16:54]
- Choosing Lehigh:
- Chose a mid-major due to late development; larger schools began recruiting late.
- Quote: “If I was taller earlier, like I think things probably would have been different. But my story might have ended differently, too.” (C.J. McCollum, 12:14)
- Lehigh’s tough academics prepped him mentally for life beyond hoops.
- The Iconic Duke Upset:
- McCollum’s 2012 NCAA Tournament performance against Duke “put him on the map.”
- Quote: “I always hated Duke. They never recruited me...so this was really personal for me.” (C.J. McCollum, 14:45)
- Balance of Academics and Sports:
- After beating Duke: “I did get a standing ovation and applause in every classroom after that, though. That was dope.” (C.J. McCollum, 14:20)
3. Small School Mentality & NBA Preparation
[16:35 – 18:34]
- Development at Small Schools:
- Discussed how having to “do it all” at smaller programs builds versatile players.
- Quote: “You see them playing on TV, all the shoes...when you get a chance to play against a big school, it’s personal.” (C.J. McCollum, 17:05)
- Resource Gaps:
- Spoke about lack of facilities and access at Lehigh compared to Power-5 schools.
4. Adapting, Growth, and Draft Process
[29:28 – 33:20]
- Overcoming Injury:
- Broke his foot senior year, faced skepticism pre-draft about athleticism, size, defense.
- Quote: “I told [teams], ‘I work out against second round picks, D2 guys. Line ‘em up – I don’t care.” (C.J. McCollum, 30:09)
- Workout Circuit & Draft Experience:
- Did 12 team workouts, was promised by Sacramento, ultimately drafted by Portland at 10.
5. Chasing Consistency & Longevity
[33:56 – 40:20]
- Basketball IQ and Work Ethic:
- Credits older brother for teaching preparation, discipline, and the art of “stealing” moves from the greats.
- Quote: “I have a unique ability to watch stuff and pick it up and emulate it right away... I watch a lot of Kyrie, old school stuff, Grand Hill, T-Mac, Dame’s stepback, Shay...if I see it and I like it, I’m taking it.” (C.J. McCollum, 33:56)
- Adaptation with Age:
- Describes shifting from “work smarter, not harder”—routine, diet, sleep, and efficient practice matter more each year.
- Preparation and Consistency:
- “Success comes from consistency… you gotta do what you gotta do, but there’s a balance.” (C.J. McCollum, 38:44)
6. NBA Rookie to All-Star: Stories and Lessons
[40:20 – 44:28]
- Veteran Influence:
- Early years buffered by Mo Williams, Dorell Wright, Steve Blake, Chris Kaman, and others.
- “Mo used to make me sit in his room, drink his whiskey, and just tell me stories.” (C.J. McCollum, 41:16)
- Paying Dues as a Rookie:
- Emphasizes importance of falling “in line” with team culture, from bringing donuts to learning humility.
- “You don’t blow an opportunity by not playing, you blow it by not being ready. And I was ready.” (C.J. McCollum, 44:19)
7. Gaining Opportunity and Securing the Bag
[52:28 – 60:26]
- Breakthrough to Starter:
- Injuries to teammates thrust McCollum into a key role, which he seized by being prepared.
- Quote: “My brother said, ‘Now we’ll know how hard you work. Now we'll see what the work is all about.’ And I was like, that was it. Yeah. I went from averaging 6 to 20.” (C.J. McCollum, 55:00)
- Foresight in Finances:
- Studied contracts/stats of similar players to set his own benchmarks.
- Quote: “I looked at your trajectory, size, points, obviously statistics, how good is the team?...They gotta pay me more than that because I'm younger." (C.J. McCollum, 56:00)
- Securing a $100M Deal:
- “My agent hit me and he was like, I think we're at, like, 97. I was like, 97 what? He’s like, 97 million? I said, take it.” (C.J. McCollum, 58:13)
- Celebrated in Vegas with his now-wife; still cautious about finances, “afraid to go broke.”
8. The Portland Era, the Dame Era, and the Lillard Trade
[64:00 – 69:31]
- Leaving Portland:
- Emotional and amicable departure; McCollum remains closely tied to the city and organization.
- “You spend the beginning of your adulthood there. You learn, you grow, you develop. A lot of my first memories in the NBA are there, and you'll never forget those.” (C.J. McCollum, 64:06)
- On Damian Lillard’s Trade:
- Surprised by the move—“Did I think he’s gonna get traded to Milwaukee in the middle of the night? No.” (C.J. McCollum, 66:01)
- Reflections on what-ifs: if Aldridge stayed, “We might've got one.” Acknowledges Warriors as the “brick wall” in their championship chase.
9. Wine Entrepreneurship & Black Ownership in Wine
[22:39 – 23:05]
- Starting a Wine Label (Heritage91):
- Inspired by time in Portland’s wine country; values legacy, land, and opening doors for others in underrepresented industries.
- “It’s a space that there’s not a lot of people that look like us... For us to have our own land, water rights, grow our own fruit—something to pass down.” (C.J. McCollum, 21:00)
- Now in nine states, with plans to expand distribution.
10. Veteran Presence and Current NBA Landscape
[74:12 – 81:12]
- Mentoring Young Talent:
- In Washington—names several promising young players (e.g., “Big Fella Sar... Keyshawn… Bub… Wil... Bilal”), commends their character, work ethic, and upside.
- Quote: “The sky’s the limit once they really settle into being men…in the next three years them boys can be real dogs, real dogs.” (C.J. McCollum, 77:41)
- The New Age NBA and Player Development:
- Discusses how early money and social media require more discipline and support for player growth; now, “Without education and guidance, it's detrimental to the development of basketball.” (C.J. McCollum, 79:14)
- “You want it to be like you almost overstayed your welcome, right? You so good in the beginning, you’re underpaid. Then you get to the point where you see, like, there’s a couple guys on every roster... Ask him how he gets $7 million to not play.” (C.J. McCollum, 80:33)
11. Classic NBA Stories, Social Media, and Culture
[81:13 – End]
- Viral Moments:
- The “I’m trying Jennifer” tweet (81:13), discussing the pressure and misunderstandings from fans.
- Quote: “Do you understand how hard it is to play at this level, consistently, under this microscope, against pit bulls and savages... You think we trying to lose on purpose?” (C.J. McCollum, 81:46)
- Coping with Fan Criticism:
- McCollum is unfazed by negative noise online—“They hated on Jesus, bro.” (C.J. McCollum, 82:37)
- Relationship with New Media:
- Thinks podcasts are cool, but “a bunch of idiots out there have microphones.”
- Lighthearted Challenges:
- Playful trash talk about podcast 3-on-3 tournaments.
- Memorable On-court Antics:
- Recalling the infamous “Rocky Balboa” air punch meme.
- “I got a text for that. For real. They were not happy – but I’m just being me.” (C.J. McCollum, 85:18)
Notable Quotes & Timestamps
-
"I was just too small...eventually God gave me a little bit of height."
— C.J. McCollum, [10:01] -
“This put me on the map right here. I always hated Duke… this was personal for me.”
— C.J. McCollum, [14:45] -
“You don’t blow an opportunity by not playing, you blow it by not being ready. And I was ready.”
— C.J. McCollum, [44:19] -
“I looked at your trajectory, size, points, statistics, how good is the team…They gotta pay me more than that because I’m younger.”
— C.J. McCollum, [56:00] -
“Did I think he’s gonna get traded to Milwaukee in the middle of the night? No.”
— C.J. McCollum, [66:01] -
“If LA would have stayed… we might've got one.”
— C.J. McCollum, [68:02] -
“I always say there comes a time where you gotta put away childish things, pick a lane.”
— C.J. McCollum, [39:44] -
On the “I’m trying Jennifer” tweet:
“Do you understand how hard it is to play at this level, consistently, under this microscope, against pit bulls and savages... You think we trying to lose on purpose?” [81:46]
Highlighted Segments & Timestamps
- Beating Duke, NCAA Memories – [13:44 – 16:54]
- Draft Process, Pre-draft Injuries – [29:28 – 33:20]
- Securing $100 Million, Finances and First Splurge – [58:04 – 60:26]
- Damian Lillard Trade Reflections – [65:41 – 66:45]
- Role Models, NBA Veteran Influence – [40:20 – 41:44]
- Advice for Young Players & New NBA Landscape – [74:44 – 80:47]
- Viral Moments & Fan Pressure ("I'm Trying Jennifer") – [81:13 – 81:46]
Tone & Language
The episode is candid, humorous, and real. McCollum is down-to-earth, intelligent, and fluent in NBA locker-room banter while dispensing serious life and basketball wisdom. The Club 520 crew keeps the tone lively and playful but pepper the conversation with deep, practical insights into the business and grind of being a pro athlete.
Takeaways for New Listeners
- C.J. McCollum’s journey is about perseverance, adaptability, and proving doubters wrong, from his late growth spurt to his rise in the NBA.
- Preparation, mentality, and discipline—not just talent—are keys to lasting success.
- Small-school roots can be a strength: learning to “do it all” builds durable, creative players.
- NBA business is cold, and trades happen to anyone; but relationships and character matter.
- Financial and post-career planning are as critical as on-court performance.
- The modern NBA: more money, more attention, but also more need for guidance, discipline, and maturity.
Supporting Links
- Heritage91 Wines: Heritage91.com
- Follow Club 520: @club520podcast
- Notable moments: “I’m trying Jennifer” tweet, “Rocky” meme (findable on social media).