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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKENDFebruary 12, 2016C.J. McCollumToronto, Ontario Q. When did you first find out about the Crying Jordan? C.J. McCOLLUM: I don't know when I first found out about it. I saw it on Instagram and Twitter. My friends were sending in a group chat. It was during his retirement speech. So I got it a few years ago. Q. Do you think it's funny? C.J. McCOLLUM: When used the right way, yeah. Q. Did you see any pictures of yourself? C.J. McCOLLUM: Yeah, the Crying C.J. Q. C.J., three-point contest, who do you think is going to win? C.J. McCOLLUM: Not me, since I wasn't selected for it. Q. In the three point, though, are you going to watch? C.J. McCOLLUM: I'm really disappointed right now. No, I'm kidding. No, it's a tough field. You look at JJ [Redick], you look at Steph, two really good shooters. [Redick] jumps really high. I don't know if he's going to change his shot. Steph [Curry] has a shot he can use and a quick release. Who else is in it? Chris Bosh? C.J. McCOLLUM: Bosh, [Khris] Middleton, [James] Harden, Klay [Thompson]. Klay has a good jumper. I think him, Middleton, those guys that don't jump as high they have a good advantage. Q. Final seconds of the game, you're down, you or Steph? C.J. McCOLLUM: Take a knee. No, I like Steph. He's a good guy. Q. C.J., what sort of thoughts do you have with this being Kobe Bryant's last All-Star Weekend and his effect on your generation and you personally? C.J. McCOLLUM: He's had a huge impact. Obviously for us, he was the Michael Jordan of our era, a guy we watched. He emulated Michael. He had a lot of the same fadeaways, sticking out his tongue, winning championships. Just a sense of self to understand exactly what it takes to be successful. So for us, he was a guy I looked up to. His work ethic, his understanding and he knew how to bounce back from losses and shooting air balls in the playoffs as a rookie to hitting game winners. Q. Over the last couple years, have you had any interactions with Kobe on or off the court? C.J. McCOLLUM: The last -- this year. This year in general I've had some interactions with him, just kind of talking to him before games and touching base with him and asking him to take pictures with my mom and stuff like that because -- I told him, he's a guy that I look up to. He doesn't know the impact he's had on my life, my brother's life and a lot of players in our generation just because of what he did for the game of basketball. Q. Is there any in-game moment that you remember from Kobe that kind of hits home for you? C.J. McCOLLUM: Like watching? Q. Yeah, maybe not even you playing? C.J. McCOLLUM: Yeah, there are a few moments, going behind his back and dunking on the guy, and one, looking at him and the game-winners he hit at the buzzer. I think he hit one in Phoenix in the playoffs. His tenaciousness and his ability to adjust from being No. 8 Kobe to No. 24 Kobe, two different numbers, but historically, each individual, eight seasons or nine seasons apiece, ten seasons apiece, actually. They're Hall of Fame careers themselves. 24 could be a Hall of Fame player, and 8 could be a Hall of Famer player. But it's Kobe all day. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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