C.J. McCollum Net Worth

What is CJ McCollum's Net Worth and Salary?

CJ McCollum is a professional basketball player who has a net worth of $130 million.

After starring at Lehigh University and leading the Mountain Hawks to a memorable upset of Duke in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, McCollum was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 10th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

McCollum played a limited role during his first two seasons before breaking out in 2015-16. He averaged 20.8 points per game, established himself as Portland's starting shooting guard, and won the NBA Most Improved Player Award. Alongside Damian Lillard, he formed one of the league's most productive backcourts and became known for his polished footwork, midrange shooting, three-point accuracy, and ability to create shots late in games.

His defining Portland performance came in Game 7 of the 2019 Western Conference semifinals, when he scored 37 points against the Denver Nuggets to send the Trail Blazers to their first conference finals in 19 years. McCollum spent nine seasons with Portland before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in February 2022. He immediately became one of New Orleans' primary scorers and playmakers, averaging 24.3 points after the trade and helping the team reach the playoffs.

McCollum was traded to the Washington Wizards in 2025 and then to the Atlanta Hawks in January 2026 as part of the deal that sent Trae Young to Washington. He helped stabilize Atlanta's backcourt during a strong second-half run, and the Hawks finished with 46 victories and the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, McCollum delivered two game-winning baskets against the eventual champion New York Knicks before Atlanta was eliminated in six games.

Beyond basketball, McCollum has served as president of the National Basketball Players Association and worked as an NBA analyst for ESPN.

Contracts, Salaries & Career Earnings

After Portland selected CJ McCollum with the 10th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, he signed a four-year rookie contract worth approximately $10.5 million. The deal paid an average of roughly $2.6 million per season.

McCollum's salary increased dramatically after his breakout 2015-16 season. In July 2016, CJ signed a four-year, $106.6 million extension with the Trail Blazers. The contract began with the 2017-18 season and increased his average annual salary to approximately $26.7 million.

In July 2019, he signed a three-year, $100 million extension that kept him under contract through the 2023-24 season. That agreement paid an average of $33.3 million per year and remained in effect after Portland traded him to New Orleans.

In September 2022, McCollum signed another two-year, $64 million extension with the Pelicans. The fully guaranteed contract covered the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons, paying him approximately $33.3 million in the first year and $30.7 million in the second. The deal followed him when he was traded first to Washington and then to Atlanta.

In June 2026, McCollum agreed to a one-year, $21 million extension with the Hawks for the 2026-27 season. The contract also included a trade kicker.

By the end of the 2025-26 season, McCollum had earned approximately $299.5 million in NBA salary and bonuses. His Atlanta extension is expected to increase his career earnings to roughly $320.5 million by the end of the 2026-27 season.

Early Life and High School

Christian James McCollum was born on September 19, 1991 in Canton, Ohio. He has an older brother named Errick who also became a professional basketball player. McCollum attended GlenOak High School, where he played high school basketball with the Golden Eagles. Despite his short stature as a freshman, he grew considerably over the years, adding a full nine inches to his height by his junior year. In his first game as a junior, he set both school and Stark County records with 54 points. As a senior, McCollum averaged 29.3 points per game, and by the time he graduated he had become the leading scorer in GlenOak High School basketball history, with 1,405 points.

Collegiate Career

For college, McCollum went to Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. There, he played four seasons of college basketball with the Mountain Hawks. McCollum had immediate success as a freshman, averaging 19.1 points in 33 games and 31 starts. The leading freshman scorer in the country that season, he became the first player ever in the Patriot League to be named both Player and Rookie of the Year. McCollum ended up leading the Mountain Hawks to the 2010 NCAA tournament, where they lost in the first round to Kansas. He had another strong season in 2010-11, increasing his average to 21.8 points per game. As a junior in 2011-12, McCollum earned his second Patriot League Player of the Year honor as the Mountain Hawks recorded their first-ever NCAA Division I tournament victory, beating the Duke Blue Devils 75-70. In his final season at Lehigh, McCollum surpassed Rob Feaster to become the Patriot League's all-time leading scorer. He graduated from Lehigh with a BA in journalism in 2013.

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Portland Trail Blazers

In the 2013 NBA Draft, McCollum was chosen with the tenth overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers, making him the first Lehigh player selected in an NBA draft. A foot injury delayed his professional debut until January 2014, when he scored four points in a victory over the Orlando Magic.

McCollum played a limited role during his first two seasons before breaking out in 2015-16. After becoming Portland's starting shooting guard, he averaged 20.8 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.2 rebounds over 80 games. His scoring average increased by more than 14 points from the previous season, earning him the NBA Most Improved Player Award.

Alongside Damian Lillard, McCollum formed one of the league's most productive backcourts. He averaged 23 points per game in 2016-17 and followed that with 21.4 points per game in 2017-18. During a January 2018 victory over the Chicago Bulls, McCollum scored a franchise-record 28 points in the first quarter and finished with a career-high 50 points despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter.

McCollum averaged 21 points per game during the 2018-19 season and recorded his first career triple-double in a victory over the Atlanta Hawks. He delivered one of the defining performances of his career in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Denver Nuggets. McCollum scored 37 points, including a late pull-up jumper that helped Portland advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 19 years. The Trail Blazers were swept by the Golden State Warriors in the conference finals.

McCollum continued averaging more than 20 points per game throughout the remainder of his Portland career. He posted 22.2 points per game in 2019-20 and a career-high 23.1 points per game in 2020-21, although injuries limited him to 47 appearances that season.

Portland traded McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans in February 2022. He concluded his Trail Blazers tenure with 9,971 points, placing him eighth on the franchise's career scoring list at the time of the trade. He also ranked second in franchise history with 1,186 made three-pointers.

New Orleans Pelicans

McCollum was traded to New Orleans with Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell in exchange for a package that included Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomáš Satoranský, Didi Louzada, and draft picks.

He made his Pelicans debut in February 2022, recording 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in a loss to the Miami Heat. McCollum averaged 24.3 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds over his first 26 games with New Orleans. He then averaged 25.5 points during the play-in tournament as the Pelicans qualified for the playoffs despite finishing the regular season with a 36-46 record. New Orleans was eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in six games.

During the 2022-23 season, McCollum averaged 20.9 points and a career-high 5.7 assists per game. In December 2022, he made 11 three-pointers and scored 42 points against the Philadelphia 76ers, setting a Pelicans franchise record for three-pointers in a game. New Orleans returned to the play-in tournament but was eliminated by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

McCollum averaged 20 points per game in 2023-24 while making a franchise-record 239 three-pointers. The Pelicans won 49 games and defeated the Sacramento Kings in the play-in tournament to secure a playoff berth. However, they were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round.

In 2024-25, McCollum averaged 21.1 points in 56 games. He tied his career high with 50 points and made ten three-pointers in a January victory over the Washington Wizards. His season ended early because of a right foot injury, while the injury-depleted Pelicans finished outside the playoff field.

After three and a half seasons in New Orleans, McCollum was traded to Washington in July 2025.

Washington Wizards

The Pelicans traded McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, and a future second-round draft pick to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, and draft considerations.

McCollum provided Washington's rebuilding roster with an experienced scorer and veteran leader. In November 2025, he scored 46 points and made ten three-pointers in a victory over the Atlanta Hawks, tying the Wizards' single-game franchise record for three-pointers.

His tenure in Washington lasted just 35 games. In January 2026, the Wizards traded McCollum and Corey Kispert to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for four-time All-Star Trae Young.

Atlanta Hawks

McCollum joined an Atlanta team that had struggled through the first half of the 2025-26 season. His shooting, decision-making, and experience helped the Hawks surge during the second half and finish with a 46-36 record and the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.

McCollum averaged 18.7 points after joining Atlanta. He played an especially important role in the Hawks' first-round playoff series against the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks. McCollum scored 32 points in a 107-106 Game 2 victory and followed that with 23 points and the game-winning jumper in Game 3, giving Atlanta a 2-1 series lead. The Knicks recovered to win the next three games and eliminate the Hawks in six.

In June 2026, McCollum agreed to a one-year, $21 million extension to remain with Atlanta for the 2026-27 season.

NBPA Leadership and Sports Broadcasting

McCollum studied journalism at Lehigh and began pursuing a media career while he was still an active player. He has hosted the basketball podcast "Pull Up with CJ McCollum" and has interviewed players, executives, and other figures from around the NBA.

In 2022, McCollum signed a multi-platform agreement to work as an NBA analyst for ESPN. His work has included appearances on television and other ESPN platforms during the regular season and playoffs.

McCollum also served as president of the National Basketball Players Association from 2021 until 2025. He had previously served as a vice president on the union's executive committee. After Fred VanVleet succeeded him as president, McCollum continued supporting the organization in an advisory capacity.

Philanthropy

In 2016, McCollum opened the first CJ McCollum Dream Center at the Blazers Boys & Girls Club in Portland. The learning facility was equipped with computers, books, art supplies, and other educational tools. He subsequently opened additional Dream Centers, including one at the Westbank Boys & Girls Club of Metro Louisiana.

McCollum also created CJ's Press Pass, an initiative that gives aspiring young journalists access to sporting events, press conferences, professional mentorship, and opportunities to have their work published.

In 2024, he partnered with College Beyond to establish McCollum Scholars. The program committed a combined $1.1 million in needs-based scholarships for 11 students from New Orleans, with each student eligible to receive $100,000 toward a four-year degree. The initiative also provides academic coaching, mental-health resources, career preparation, and assistance obtaining internships.

McCollum received the NBA's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for the 2023-24 season in recognition of his work involving education, youth opportunities, and social-justice reform.

Personal Life

In 2020, McCollum married his college sweetheart, Elise Esposito, a dentist whom he met while attending Lehigh. They have two children, a son named Jacobi and a daughter named Margaux.

McCollum's older brother, Errick McCollum, has also played professional basketball, spending much of his career with clubs in Europe and Asia.

CJ and Elise are wine enthusiasts and launched McCollum Heritage 91, an Oregon-based wine label named for the street where CJ grew up and the year of his birth. The couple later purchased a vineyard of more than 300 acres in Oregon's Willamette Valley.

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