It all came together for C.J. McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers this year, as he became the unquestioned right-hand man of superstar Damian Lillard as the team shocked critics to reach the postseason.

Now, he’s being honored for his incredible rise.

This morning, it was announced that McCollum is the winner of the Kia NBA Most Improved Player award for the 2015-16.

After receiving just over 15 minutes per game last season, C.J. saw a huge jump in his playing time after the departure of four of Portland's five starters from the year before.

It's safe to say he took advantage of the opportunity.

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In 2014-15, McCollum averaged 6.8 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1 assist per game.

This season? 20.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists.

The improvement was so staggering that it was essentially a foregone conclusion that McCollum was going to take the award, and sure enough, it ended up being a landslide.

Out of 130 first place votes, McCollum took 101 of them. The only surprise is that he didn't receive even more.

The Blazers are currently in a 0-2 hole to the Los Angeles Clippers in their first round series, but given McCollum's rise and their toppling of low expectations entering the season, it has been an enjoyable year for basketball fans in Portland.