In school there were always the parents who were very focused on their son or daughters athletics, even becoming coaches and assistants themselves to improve their child’s skills as they grow up. Have supportive parents throughout your times playing sports is one of the most crucial factors because they are your support system. Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum knows that. After inking a 4-year, $106 million deal with Portland, in his contract extension press conference, McCollum attributed his hard work ethic to his family. Per Portland Trail Blazers PR:
“My mom, she’s got the notepads after every game, she’s taking notes and (saying), ‘Let me know when you’re ready for me to go over the scouting report this week.’ I’m like, ‘Mom, I just watched film for four hours. I don’t want to see this.’ Just having that patience … My mom’s not going to tell me I shot well when I went 2-for-10 and the guy you’re guarding, Brandon Knight, had 29 points and sealed the game. She’s not going to be like, ‘Good game.’ She’s going to be like, ‘That boy’s nice, he’s going at you.’”
With C.J. McCollum’s extension, you can bet Mrs.McCollum will be sitting at his games for the next 5 years. Sometimes your parents can be even more brutally honest then you can be with yourself. In this case, McCollum’s mom seems to be a good reality check for McCollum who has fought his way to make it into the NBA. Now the Blazers are counting on the backcourt duo of him and all-star Damian Lillard to lead them to become contenders once again in the Western Conference.
