For nine and a half seasons, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum shared a home in the Portland Trail Blazers backcourt. Lillard and McCollum helped the Blazers become a solid playoff team for years, and they even led Portland to a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2019. However, McCollum was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans at last season's trade deadline, breaking up the deadly backcourt duo.
Nevertheless, despite being hundreds of miles apart, McCollum still might be Lillard's biggest fan after Dame surpassed Clyde Drexler to become the all-time scoring leader for the Blazers.
Speaking to reporters after the Pelicans' 128-119 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, McCollum had nothing but kind words for Lillard after his former teammate's incredible feat.
“I am extremely happy for him. I know how hard he's worked, I know our relationship, what that is, and what that would be for the rest of our life. The bond that we have is something special,” McCollum said. “All that stuff that he's done independently to build himself up for these kind of moments and accolades is a testimony to his hardwork and faith in the coaching staff.
“That is something we expected him to accomplish because of his greatness.”
"I am extremely happy for him, and I am not surprised. That is something we expected him to accomplish because of his greatness,"
– @CJMcCollum on @Dame_Lillard becoming the @TrailBlazers' all-time leading scorer pic.twitter.com/fSAQDy3rZU
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 20, 2022
Damian Lillard had 28 points on Monday night, surpassing the required 21 points to usurp Clyde Drexler. Knowing Lillard, however, he will be pissed that the Blazers were unable to claim the victory after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander nailed a dagger midrange shot to spoil his big night.
CJ McCollum and Lillard's careers will forever be intertwined. Both have made each other better by challenging one another, and McCollum is clearly forever grateful for the near-decade they spent going through the grind together. And even as they continue to go their separate ways, there's no reason to expect either of them to stop being fully supportive of one another.
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