The New Orleans Pelicans may have been without Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram on Thursday against the San Antonio Spurs, but they still had CJ McCollum. The Pelicans guard put up 40 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out nine assists in the 126-117 win, placing him alongside former Pelicans Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans to put up at least 40 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in a single game as per Will Guillory of The Athletic.

Against the Spurs, McCollum shot 51.9 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range and also added two blocked shots and a steal.

The current president of the National Basketball Players Association, CJ McCollum has been part of a rejuvenation for Pelicans basketball and has done his best to immerse himself in the city. After eight and a half seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, McCollum was traded to the Pelicans and helped them finish the 2021-22 season strong without Zion Williamson.

In the 26 games he played in for the Pelicans last season, McCollum averaged a career-high 24.3 points per game, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from three-point range as the Pelicans won two straight play-in games to earn the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. There they pushed the Phoenix Suns to six games with McCollum averaging 22.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists.

Coming into Thursday's game, McCollum was averaging 18.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting 41.5 percent from the the field and 35.1 percent from three-point range.